At Last
by Waterlili
Summary: [Epilogue up!] At last Remus Lupin has returned to Hogwarts. At last he has found love. But when that love come from a student , will it last? Set in Harry and Co.’s 7th year. RLOC.Not Slash. Rating might change later. R&R PLEASE. Almost Done.
1. The Beginning

A/N: Dedicated to B and Silver (when I wrote this the first time you were still Silver so for now it stays…next Chapter you'll be Gamgee, anything that is Remus basically Silver wrote for me) as well as to my SL (you all Rock).

A/N 2: I'm not so great at HTML stuff so if this is a mess I'm sorry. I'll try and get it fixed by next Chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I'm not gaining anything, Don't sue please.

Ch. 1 The Beginning

September 1st rose gray and rainy over London, England. While most 17 year-olds were still soundly asleep Jessi Carmichael was standing in the middle of her bedroom, surrounded by clothes, books and a multitude of other supplies she would need for her 7th and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, making sure she had everything she needed she started to place things carefully in her trunk. She was shutting her trunk 15 minutes later when her brother Toby burst into her room.

"Jessi…Jessi you overslept and……" he trailed off as he saw her trying to close her overly full trunk.

"Honestly Toby do you really think that I would oversleep on the day I leave for Hogwarts?" she placed her hands on hips looking at him incredulously.

"well…no I guess not even you could over sleep today" He ducked as she threw a pillow at him

"Send Jingle up for my trunk and Persephone's cage would you….oh and tell mother I was still asleep…I wouldn't want her to think I was actually _Responsible_" She told him as she headed into her closet.

"Sure Jessi" he laughed as he headed out the door

Jessi began to look carefully through her closet, she selected a denim skirt and bright blue tank and matching short-sleeved sweater. Dressing quickly she plopped herself down in front of her vanity and pulled her hair out of it's ponytail letting her ebony colored curls cascade over her shoulders, she quickly ran her fingers through her hair setting her curls in place, dabbed on some lip gloss, slid her on her blue sandals and dashed down the stairs. The first thing she heard was her mother yelling..

"JESSICA ANNE CARMICHAEL IF YOU AREN'T IN THE DINING ROOM IN 1 MINUTE…." her mother stopped yelling when she entered the room "….Jessica why do you insist on wearing those awful muggle clothes"

"Mother I can't very well where robes to a muggle train station now can I?" she sat down in her chair at the breakfast table, she just about choked on her water when her Grandmother came in and reprimanded her mother

"Marissa I will not have that incessant yelling in my House at this time of the morning"

"Yes, Lydia….I'm very sorry…Jessica was late for breakfast again" her mother said demurely.

She stopped smiling when her grandmother turned to look at her.

"Oh good morning Jessi and just why were you running late this morning, dear?" her grandmother inquired

"Morning Grandmother…. I got sidetracked in my packing because Persephone brought an owl from Daddy wishing me luck this year" she answered 

Lydia smiled at her granddaughter and took her seat at the head of the table before speaking again.

"Jessi are you all packed?"

"Yes Grandmother I just finished before breakfast"

"And you have a uniform and set of robes for once you reach school?"

"Yes Grandmother" she smiled at her grandmother's concern "I just have to run up and grab my bag for on the train and I'll be set"

"Well go get it then" her mother snapped

She quickly excused herself and went back up to her room picking up her bag and making sure that she had everything she needed. She turned the lights off and headed for the front door. Her mother, grandmother, and her brother were waiting when she got there. She came first to her mother

"Goodbye mother I'll see you in June" she kissed her mother on the cheek

"Goodbye Jessica and please try not to disgrace the family name this year" her mother said coldly. She ignored her mother and walked over to Toby hugging him gently.

"Bye Toby and good luck at Auror training" she told him quietly

"Bye Jess" he smiled , Jessi side stepped so she was in front of her grandmother. She gently kissed her grandmother's cheek and hugged her.

"Bye Grandmother, I'll owl you tomorrow"

"Be sure you do Jessi" her grandmother said 

Jessi picked up her bag and headed out the door . Once she was outside she got in the car and shut the door looking out the window as the driver started toward the train station. 

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Jessi pushed her trolley containing her trunk, school bag, and Persephone, her eagle owl, nonchalantly through King's Cross. When she reached the barrier between Platforms 9&10, she inconspicuously walked right through, and came face to face with the Hogwarts Express. She scanned the crowed quickly spotting her three best friends, she quickly pushed the trolley towards them calling to them as she walked.

"Harry, Hermione, Ron" the three of them turned to face her as she approached. "Jessi it's so good to see you and wait till you hear the news" Hermione said excitedly as she embraced her.

"Hi Hermione have a good summer" she asked as Hermione dragged her over to Harry and Ron. They both looked at her and smiled.

"Hi Jessi" Harry said as he put his arm around Hermione's waist.

"Hi Jess" Ron echoed tossing an owl treat to Persephone. 

"Hi Guys" she said smiling at them as she looked back and forth between them "so what's this big news that Mione is going on about?"

"Harry and Hermione are the Head Boy and Head Girl this year" Ron said proudly as Harry and Hermione beamed.

"Guys that's great" she said as she hugged them both, as she stepped back Hermione spoke up again

"Well there's more…" Harry said hesitantly, Hermione picked up

"You're going to replace me as the 7th year prefect from Gryffindor" she said excitedly.

"Sweet Merlin" Jessi just stared at them shocked.

They all just smiled at her. They quickly boarded the train and put their things away in an empty compartment and headed off for the meeting between the prefects and the Head Boy and Head Girl. 

They sat in the compartment and talked quietly while the other prefects all entered and found seats. Once everyone was there Hermione and Harry stood and began to address the small group. They talked quickly and covered their topic efficiently. "Everyone but the 7th year prefects is free to go" Harry said dismissing the group. The younger students looked at him quizzically before leaving the compartment to join their friends.

"Professor Dumbledore has decided to assign each 7th year prefect a professor to assist this year, you'll mostly be helping them grade assignments and what not" Hermione said confidently. "So here's who you're assigned to" she looked at Harry who was holding the assignments.

"Malfoy you'll be assisting Professor Snape and Parkinson you'll be with Professor Sinistra helping with Astronomy" Harry said looking at each of them.

"Hannah you've got Professor Sprout" Hermione said smiling at the Hufflepuff girl "And Ernie you'll be with Hagrid" she said turning to him.

"Padma you'll be with Professor Flitwick" he said to her before turning to face Roger Davies "and Roger you'll be working in Arithmancy with Professor Vector"

"Ron" Hermione said turning to face him "you're helping McGonagall" she then turned to face Jessi "and Jessi you're with the new Defense teacher, we just don't know who that is yet" she smiled weakly at her.

"Ok any questions anyone?" Harry asked, when no one said he thing said "Ok you all can go" Everyone left quickly, and soon the only people in the room were Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Jessi. Ron stood and headed for the door

"I have to go meet with the chaser's and strategize" he said as he waved goodbye. 

"I have to go to I didn't get to finish my History of Magic report so I'll see you to later" she stood and headed out of the compartment. She walked slowly to the compartment where they had left their things earlier but she was stopped by Draco Malfoy.

"Well hello there Beautiful" he drawled.

"Oh sod off Ferret" she returned crossly

"Jessi, Jessi, Jessi" he said slinging an arm over her shoulders " you shouldn't deny your feelings for me"

"Oh you've found me out I'm hiding deep feelings of contempt and dislike for you Malfoy" she said as she ducked out from under his arm. She rolled her eyes as she slipped into the compartment muttering under her breath.

"Stupid Slytherin git…he is so infuriating" she was so busy talking to herself about what a prat Draco Malfoy was that she didn't see the man sitting in the compartment watching her with interest.

"Which Slytherin has upset you Miss?" he asked

"Malfoy" She said the word with disgust as she turned to face him, her jaw dropped and her light green eyes grew wide "Professor Lupin?"

"Yes....and you are?" he asked her quietly

"Jessi Carmichael….. 7th year Gryffindor…Friends with Harry, Ron, and Hermione" she said as she sat down across from him

"Yes I remember now……so how have you been?" he inquired politely

"Very well and yourself?" she asked brightly

"Good, glad to be coming back to Hogwarts" he said letting his eye wander slowly over her.

"I can only imagine" she said softly " I would assume you're coming back to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

She was watching him as he answered her question not really listening to the answer. She let her eyes roam over her face, a face she hadn't seen except in her dreams since she was 13. She had thought her preadolescent crush on him had dissipated but apparently it hadn't. They talked quietly for awhile about the other Defense teachers she'd had . As their conversation slowly started to dissipated she stood and turned to her school bag which was resting on the upper shelf, and began to rummage through the bag. Just as she was about to sit back down the train gave a sudden jolt sending her tumbling backwards into his lap. She felt him wrap his arms around her waist so she wouldn't fall any further. She straightened in his lap turning to look over her shoulder at him, she opened her mouth to thank him but stopped when their eyes locked. Their faces were only inches apart and she could feel his warm breath on her face. She looked into his eyes and saw the look of pure unbridled lust in his them. She quickly jumped out of his lap mumbling her thanks, she grabbed her bag and dashed out of the compartment. 

He shook his head. Remus Lupin had never forgotten how talented _or beautiful, _yes or beautiful that Jessi was. The age just wouldn't work out, even how hard he had tried to figure it out. Besides he was her teacher now, even if the age was legal. He had wanted to kiss her really bad, or more than kiss her but we wont go into that now. He was disappointed when she didn't come back into "their" carriage. 

Jessi made her way quickly back to the Head's compartment entering quickly, she saw only Hermione

"Where's Harry?" she asked quietly, sitting down across from her friend.

"Oh he went to talk Quidditch with Ron" Hermione said looking up from her book. 

"So who came up with the 7th year assistant list?" she asked drumming her fingers softly on the back of her book.

"Dumbledore why?" Hermione looked at her quizzically.

"Oh it's nothing" she said softly

"Jessi we've been best friends for seven years, I can tell when something is on your mind, so what's bothering you?" Hermione asked her setting her book to the side.

"I…..um" She paused for a minute as if thinking of what to say " Professor Lupin is back he's the new Defense teacher" she said quickly

" Well then what's the problem, as I recall you had quite a crush on Professor Lupin" Hermione said laughingly

"That's just the problem though Mione" Jessi said softly. She slowly relayed the story of what had happened in the compartment. "And I wanted him to kiss me so badly Hermione, I mean he was looking at me like he wanted I don't know how to describe it…."

" I know that look, that's the look Harry gives me when…..well never mind" Hermione said mischievously

"Merlin's beard Hermione" she said shocked "you don't think…this is going to be a long year"

"Not as long as you think Jessi" She smiled

"Whatever you say, I'm going to change we're nearly there" she stood and slipped into the lavatory and began to change. By the time she was done they had reached Hogsmeade station. Jessi and Hermione exited the train and climbed into a carriage with Harry and Ron. Jessi sighed when she saw Remus climbing into his own carriage up ahead of them, she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the side of the carriage as they began the ride to Hogwarts for the last time. _This is going to be a long year._

Remus looked over the crowds on the platform, but still couldn't find Jessi. He solemnly walked off to his own carriage, unaware that she had spotted him get into his carriage. He rode alone up to the castle. '_This is going to be a long year'  
_

A/N: Ok Ya'll know what to do…that's right…Click it and send me a review.


	2. First Classes

A/N: And Chapter 2...yay

A/N 2: This Chapter is dedicated to Ty Ty and B and Gamgee( see I changed it) who as always is responsible for a good deal of Remus' words and actions.

Disclaimer: I don't Own it, I'm making no money. Don't Sue.

Ch. 2 First Classes

Jessi awoke the morning after the Sorting ceremony and groaned at the sunlight streaming through the windows. Realizing she was alone in the room she looked around for Hermione wondering why she hadn't woken her up before she realized that Hermione had her own room at the bottom of the stairs this year. She climbed out of bed and padded barefoot to the bathroom, she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth then hurried about the dormitory getting dressed. Once she was completely ready she dabbed on a light pink lip gloss, gathered the top half of her hair at the back of her head, grabbed her bag and ran to the Great Hall. She entered quickly and sat down in her normal spot, she glanced up at the Head table and almost choked on her pumpkin juice when she saw Remus staring at her.

"What's wrong Jessi" Hermione asked trying not to laugh

"Nothing" she said glowering at her best friend " I just got up late today" 

" McGonagall on approach" Harry said lowly, laughing lightly . The four of them all turned to face her as she approached them.

"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Miss Carmichael here are your timetables…oh and Mr. Weasley come by my office some time this afternoon so we can schedule the times when you'll come to help me." Professor McGonagall said looking back and forth between them suspiciously, before walking away. They all breathed in relief and looked at there timetables. 

"Yes" Ron said a little more loudly than was necessary "We've double Defense this afternoon"

Jessi paled to cover herself she said " Yeah but we have double Potions Friday afternoons." They all groaned at that fact and picked up their bags and headed in their separate directions.

Later that afternoon Jessi and Hermione were standing outside them Defense classroom waiting, for Harry and Ron as well as for class to start. Jessi was shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Jessi would you stop it we're going to class that's all, I swear…..I thought you were over this" Hermione said exasperatedly. Jessi didn't say anything she just stood there quietly. Harry and Ron got there just as Professor Lupin opened the door, they filed quickly into the room taking seats in the front.

"Good afternoon to all of you…I'm sure most of you remember me from your 3rd year but if you don't I'm Professor Remus Lupin, ok so how about we go through this register and see who is here and who isn't" he said amicably, leaning against the edge of his desk crossing his legs in front of him. He began to call out all the names when he reached the end of the list he looked up at them "Did I miss anyone?" when no one said anything he dropped the papers on the desk and looked around the room. "Well I have know idea what you all know so we aren't going to start until next class…so I want two feet from all of you on my desk tomorrow so I can start to plan your lessons". They all got up and began to leave the classroom. When he spoke again "Miss Carmichael I need you to stay after" he spoke not looking up from the paper he was looking at.

Jessi turned to face him and walked slowly over no saying anything. Crossing her arms over her chest she asked him " Yes, Professor Lupin was there something you wanted?"

"You are my 7th year assistant are you not?" he asked her still not looking up.

"Yes sir" she answered quietly

"Good…then we'll need to set up the time we're going to meet" he looked at her one side of his mouth curled into a slight smirk.

__

Sweet Merlin…don't look a me like that she thought while she nodded, not saying anything. She started shifting from foot to foot again. "Well….I'm pretty much free whenever" she said not meeting his eyes.

"Well then, how about we start with meeting Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, we can add more day's or drop them as the workload allows" He said 

__

"Yeah sure that sounds great" she answered him quickly turning to head out the door.

"Miss Carmichael…there is one more thing" He said as she reached the door. He motioned for her to come back over to where he was. "Miss Carmichael…..Jessi…..about what happened on the train.."

"Just forget it…I'll be at your office at say…..8:30?" she said off handedly cutting him off mid-sentence. 

"8:30 is fine" he said, going back to reading his paperwork.

Jessi quickly exited the room and walked quickly to Gryffindor Tower. She said the password("sugar quills") and entered into the Common Room

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Jessi stood outside his office later that evening. She was shifting from foot to foot, nervously biting her lower lip. She ran her clammy hands over her skirt, she took a deep breath trying to calm her shallow breathing. She raised her hand to knock on the door but dropped it back to her side. She took another deep breath and knocked on the door, and waited for him to answer.

Remus lifted his head when he heard the knock on his door. He took a deep breath, he knew it was her, _she's a student Lupin, cool it. _"Come on in" he said after taking a deep breath.

Jessi slowly opened the door slipping in and shutting it behind her before walking over to stand in front of his desk.

"Hi there" She said 

"Hi Jessi" He said looking up at her " Have a seat" he gestured to the leather arm chairs in front of his desk.

"Thank you Professor" She said sitting gracefully, drawing her feet up underneath her and looking at him expectantly.

" So tonight all we've got is the tests I gave the 1st years today in class" he pointed to a stack of parchment on his desk " They're the only ones I'm not waiting on essays from, so we'll just grade these tonight so I know where I need to start with them next class" he handed her part of the stack of papers " The grading key is on top but I don't think you'll need it"

She took the stack of papers from him "Thanks and yeah I think I can handle it without a grading key" she said glancing down at the papers." you would happen to have an extra quill would you…I seem to have miss placed mine" she said not moving her eyes from his.

"Probably" he said tearing his gaze away from her rummaging through a desk drawer. When he found one he handed it to her "here you go."

She took the quill from him her fingers grazing the back of his hand in the process. She curled up in the chair resting the tests in her lap, looking down at then causing her dark curls to fall gently over her shoulders, she pretended to read over them stealing glances at him every so often. She had just finished grading the last test when she glanced up and saw him watching her with the same look in his eyes he'd had when she'd been in his lap on the train. Their gazes locked and they just stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. 

"I'm finished" she said quietly, tearing her eyes away from him.

"Well you should probably go then" he said still watching her.

"I'll see you….later…yeah later" she said as she stood. She quickly left his office and made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower and up to her room. She quickly changed into her Pajamas and climbing into bed. She pulled her blankets over her head and slipped into a fitful sleep. 

A/N: Ok Ya'll Click it and Send me a review. -- WaterLili


	3. The Kiss

A/N: Ok here's the deal…I have most of this story written already, but I'm swamped at school (don't let the movies fool you College Professors aren't that cool). So if I slack off in the updating department it's because I have far to much to do. Ok enough of my complaining…on with the show.

Oh yeah….I Don't Own Harry Potter…if you recognize it it doesn't belong to me. *muah*

Ch. 3 The Kiss

Jessi woke up early the next morning, she showered and dressed, and was leaving the room just as Parvati and Lavender were getting up. She left the Common Room and headed straight for the Great Hall. She mumbled good morning to Hermione and slowly sipped at her pumpkin juice. She glanced up at the staff table and saw Lupin talking quietly with Professor McGonagall, she sighed as she nibbled at her toast.

"Are you alright Jessi" Hermione asked her. 

"Yeah just tired" she answered looking up to the staff table again.

"Uh huh sure" Hermione said standing up "Well whatever it is you'll have to tell me after Arithmancy"

"Yeah after Arithmancy" Jessi answered absentmindedly, her eyes still on Remus.

"Jessi…let's go" Hermione said impatiently.

"Oh right" Jessi stood up abruptly and followed her friend out of the Great Hall and to class.

Jessi and Hermione reached Arithmancy right on time and took their seats. They spent a few moments preparing for class while Professor Vector went quickly through the register. As soon as Professor Vector started to lecture Jessi found herself slipping into a daydream. She tuned out the lecture and dreamed of sunny days, fields of flowers, and a certain someone with blue gray eyes. She was jolted out of her daydream when everyone stood quickly.

"Class is over Jessi" Hermione said smirking when her eyes fell on the still blank parchment on Jessi's desk.

"Right then" Jessi answered shoving her things in her bag and leaving the room, she turned to Hermione " So down to the lake or to the library?" she asked.

"Hmmm….lake I think…that's where Harry and Ron will be" Hermione said laughing

"You're hopeless you know that right?" Jessi asked raising an eyebrow " But the lake it is"

" I know I know…let's go then" Hermione said as the reached the entrance hall. They saw Professor Lupin outside with the third year Slytherins and Hufflepuffs. They both waved, some of the students waved back to them and even though Jessi knew Lupin had seen them he didn't acknowledge them. Jessi muttered something under her breath earning a questioning look from Hermione, but her friend didn't say anything.

"Hi you two" Ron said

"Hi Hermione" Harry said smiling appreciatively at his girlfriend "Hi to you to Jessi"

" Hi Ron…Harry " Jessi said as she sat down across from Ron. While Hermione sat across from Harry. They all worked quietly on their Defense essays for awhile when Ron spoke.

" I think we have a good chance at winning the Quidditch Cup this year" he said off handedly.

" ACK……Ron….can we please talk about something besides Quidditch for once" Hermione asked exasperatedly

"Like what Mione" Harry asked as if Quidditch was the only topic worth talking about.

" How about the State of the world, classes or….what we're going to do for Hermione's 18 birthday?" Jessi asked

" Oh never mind I don't want to talk anyway" Ron said going back to his essay

Harry, Hermione, and Jessi laughed quietly before returning to their own essays. They worked through their lunch period, and then headed off in separate directions for afternoon classes. Jessi was walking down the hallway towards her Advanced level Potion class when she saw Lupin again. She waved and smiled brightly but he walked by her not even looking at her. She huffed as she entered the dungeon and took her seat. She listened half-heartedly to Professor Snape's lecture on the ingredients of various healing potions. He assigned them each a potion and three feet on it's properties due by next class period. 

Jessi walked quickly to Lupin's office and knocked softly on the open door. She walked quietly over to in front of the desk when he didn't answer her knock.  
"Professor?" she asked him timidly  
"Yes Miss Carmichael" he said. Jessi thought he sounded annoyed.  
" The essays from class….the ones due today…where do you want it?" she asked quietly  
"Just hand it here" He said looking up at her. She handed him the paper and quickly left his office. 

Jessi entered the Gryffindor Common Room quietly. She saw Hermione she went over and sat down across from her mumbling a quick "Hi" and stared out the window losing herself in her thoughts of him.   
"Ok Jessi you've been acting oddly all day what's up" Hermione asked setting her book down.  
" I'm not over him Mione….I thought I was but…..I keep seeing that look he gave me on the train in my dreams" she answered looking at Hermione " and he kept giving me the same look last night and today he won't even acknowledge me when I speak to him…it's bloody frustrating"   
" Jessi I can't say I know what you're going through….but Jessi you can not and I'm mean absolutely can not have a relationship with him…at least not right now" Hermione said in a low voice.  
"I know Hermione" Jessi said sadly.  
"Are you sure you're ok Jess?"  
" Yeah Mione…I'm fine…it's almost dinner isn't it?"  
"Yeah" she nodded " you going to come"   
" No I've got a lot to do" she said softly looking out the window again " bring me something back though would you?"

" Yeah of course" she said looking at Jessi worriedly. Hermione left the Common Room quietly, the other students followed shortly after and soon Jessi was alone.  
She stared out the window for a long time, lost in thought.

When she finally looked away from the window she noticed students were coming in from dinner. She quickly pulled out the things she needed and began work on her potions essay. She was still working when Hermione came over and set down a plate of food in front of her. She smiled and thanked her friend and returned to her essay not touching the food. She finished her essay and headed up to her room. She pinned her dark curls up at the back of her head, a few pieces falling down at the back and around her face. She changed out of her school robes into a short pale green night dress and climbed in bed.  
Jessi awoke from a fitful sleep, her dreams had been haunted by him. She climbed slowly out of bed and slipped on a silky robe the same shade as her nightgown and a pair of white muggle flip flops. She quietly slipped out of the room down the stairs and out into the hallway. She wandered aimlessly around the school. Upon reaching the last step to the first floor, Jessi paused at the sight of a shadow falling across a patch of moonlit floor. Holding her breath as not to alert this stranger, she peered into the darkness. She realized almost at once that it was him and she stood silently in the hallway.

Remus was wandering the halls of Hogwarts late that same night. He was standing in front of the tall window, seemingly alone. Dropping his shoulders a bit when a wave of despair hits him. He couldn't get her out of his head. Every time he'd seen her today she had smiled that beautiful smile of hers. Shaking his head at his thoughts he straightens and inhales a cleansing breath. Her scent hit him almost immediately. "Jessi," his mind screamed. Now I'm smelling her when I know she's not here he thought. Then her heard soft quiet breathing and he knew that she was there just off to his left side. He swallowed hard and turned to face her. He stood there looking at her for a moment taking in her long smooth legs, which were barely covered by the flimsy gown, his gaze traveled slowly up her body until their eyes locked.  
Jessi swallowed hard when he turned to face her. He crossed over to her quickly.  
"Miss Carmichael why are you out of bed this late at night" he demanded harshly.  
She stood there speechless. Staring up at him .  
"It's well past curfew and you certainly shouldn't be out here in such a state of undress young lady" He said coldly  
" I couldn't sleep" _because I was dreaming about your eyes _" and I thought that a walk might tire me out" she said softly not meeting his eyes.  
"Well I'll escort you back to the Tower…wouldn't want you to get into trouble now would we?" he asked her quietly.  
"No trouble is bad" she said softly, shaking her head and causing several of her curls to escape and fall softly around her face. She trembled slightly when he stepped close to her and brushed her hair behind her ear. She stared up into his eyes. " Professor Lupin…..I……um"  
"I- I'm sorry……. that was inappropriate……… and uncalled for" he faltered.  
She bit her lower lip gently, their gazes were still locked, and they were standing extraordinarily close to one another. She sighed softly when he looked away. "Professor…why I might ask are you out and about this late?"   
"I couldn't sleep and the moon caught my eye" he said, looking out the window at the small crescent shaped sliver hanging in the sky.  
" Yeah…it is really beautiful isn't it….the moon I mean" she said softly.  
" For the moment" he said his voice growing serious suddenly. Moving his eyes from the moon to her face.  
She stared up into his Blue-gray eyes, the shadows falling across his face in the darkened hallway were making him seem that much more mysterious.  
"Now I think we should get you to bed" he said quietly.  
"I suppose so" She answered nodding softly.  
He gestured for her to go first. She started walking slowly down the dimly lit hallway. She could feel his eyes in her back as she walked. She turned her head over her shoulder to look at him. " You don't have to walk a mile behind me you know" she said smiling at him. One corner of his mouth turned up into a sexy smirk. _Sweet Merlin _Jessi thought as he caught up with her and began walking by her side.  
"So Miss Car….Jessi….mind telling me why you couldn't sleep?" he asked softly.  
She stopped abruptly and turned to face him. " I….um……..something I ate at dinner upset my stomach" she smiled weakly.  
Remus stopped when she did. He raised an eyebrow at that statement. He knew she hadn't been at dinner but didn't want to call her on it. " Feeling any better?" he asked simply.  
Jessi shrugged. " Yeah I suppose so" she answered quietly.  
"That's good" he said. They began to walk slowly again. Jessi crossed her arms over her chest, accidentally causing her robe to fall slightly revealing her smooth pale shoulder. She that he noticed flush slightly as he looked away from her. She looked at him with an eyebrow raised, _what in the name of Merlin's Beard is his problem_.   
She realized just what his problem was when he turned to face her again. Their eyes locked. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart skipped a beat, he was giving her the 'train' look. She stared into his eyes for a moment before tearing her eyes from his and continuing to walk slowly toward Gryffindor Tower.  
Remus knew that the way he was looking at her wasn't appropriate and he didn't care. He couldn't help but look at her lustfully, not when she was standing so close in nothing but that flimsy nightgown and robe. His eyes wandered over her body as the began to walk again. He noticed that the night dress was still off of her shoulder, and he took in the slight sway of her hips as she walked. He saw her shiver involuntarily, " Are you cold" he asked his eyes moving over her body to her face.   
"No not particularly" she said softly, shaking her head.  
"Right then" he smiled at her. He was staring at her unconsciously.  
Jessi blushed when she glanced up at him and found him staring at her. She stopped walking when she realized they were standing just outside the portrait hole. "Well….umm…. Thank you for walking me back" she said quietly as she turned to face him.  
" Anytime" he said his voice was low and coarse.  
Jessi shivered slightly at the tone of his voice. They were standing barely a foot apart when he once again brought his hand to the side of her face brushing a stray curl out off her cheek. She bit her lower lip as she looked up into his eyes.  
" I can't stand this any more" he said letting his palm rest on her cheek, placing his other hand on her hip, he drew her closer to him.  
"Can't stand what anymore" she asked nervously.

He didn't answer her. He just covered her lips with his. Skillfully he moved his lips gently over hers. 

Jessi was shocked at first, unsure if this was actually happening. When it sunk in that it was she slowly began to kiss him back. The feel of his warm lips against hers sent shivers down her spine. She felt him break the kiss a moment later. He didn't say a word to her. He kissed her lightly on the lips again once more and strode off down the hall. She watched him until he was completely enveloped in the darkness, before slipping silently back up to her dormitory. She slowly crawled into bed and thought of the way his lips had felt against hers before slipping off to sleep

A/N: Ya'll Know what to Do…that's Right Click it and Review.--WaterLili


	4. A Second Kiss

A/N: Okay here is Chapter Four.but ya'll already knew that so I'll be quiet and let you read.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. 

Ch. 4 A Second Kiss

Jessi was still asleep the next morning when Parvati threw a pillow at her telling her to get up. She crawled out of bed grabbing her uniform from her trunk. She rushed into the bathroom and showered hurriedly. After getting out from under the hot water she dressed and performed a drying charm on her hair. She slipped on her shoes and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. She took her usual seat across from Hermione, glancing up at the staff table she saw Remus and blushed. 

"Ok Jessi what's up" Hermione asked when she noticed her friend's blush " I mean I know you have a thing for Professor Lupin but.."

"Shhh." Jessi said cutting Hermione off mid-sentence " Lets go back to the Tower and I'll tell you" she said quietly. They both got up and headed back to Gryffindor Tower. They entered the Common Room and Jessi dragged Hermione over to a secluded corner.

"Alright Jessi spill it sister." Hermione said settling into a chair.

" Ok.so last night I couldn't sleep and I went for a walk around the castle" Jessi said nervously.

"Jessi.." Hermione said questioningly 

"Just let me finish would you?" she said exasperatedly before continuing " So I was down on the first floor and I ran into Professor Lupin" she paused and looked at Hermione. She continued when her friend nodded encouragingly. " So to make a long story short he walked me back up here to the Tower and we um.."

" What?" Hermione asked worriedly

" We.I..He kissed me" Jessi said quickly and softly.

" WHAT!?!" Hermione yelled the quieted quickly "He kissed you?"

"err.well I kind of kissed him back as well" she answered blushing

"Jessi he's a Professor" Hermione said softly

"I know Hermione"

"But.."

"Hermione it just happened..but I don't know what to do now" she stated worriedly

"What do you mean Jess?"

"I mean do I bring it up? Do I let him bring it up? Do I just forget it happened?"

" My advice would be to forget it unless he brings it up" Hermione said standing up "And we're late for Transfiguration"

" Ok ok.lemme go get my stuff" she said dashing up the stairs.

Once Jessi came back downstairs they rushed off to Transfiguration. They sat through the lecture on Animagus. She was glad that the class was only a lecture, because she found her mind continually returning to the previous night. Once the class was over they all headed out quickly. Jessi smiled when she heard Hermione talking about the next class when they would learn a charm to show their Inner Animagus . They all walked quickly to there Defense Against the Dark Arts class and waited patiently outside. When Lupin opened the door they all walked in and took their seats. Jessi watched as Lupin moved to the front of his desk and sat on top of it scanning the classroom.

"Good morning, or afternoon rather, Class" he said lightly. 

"Good afternoon" Jessi mumbled softly, her voice getting lost in her classmates'.

"Now. Today we will be starting a new chapter on offensive spells." he stated "Please open your books to page, one thirty five" he pulled out his own book and opened to that page "Now can anyone describe the...... spell?"

" The patronus spell is used to drive away Dementors. Everyone's patronus is different, they usually take the form of an animal, and you have to think of a happy memory to conjure a patronus." Hermione answered expertly.

" Very good Miss Granger 10 points to Gryffindor" Lupin said " Now that all of you have read about the charm take out your wands and practice."

Jessi watched as her classmates slowly got up and practiced the charm. Some of them succeed sending silvery animals floating around the room, while others only produced wisps of silver. Standing slowly, the first enjoyable memory she could recall was the way Remus had looked into her eyes. "Expecto Patronum" she said softly. She watched as a silvery wolf floated around the room, she sat back down as her wolf began to slowly dissipate. 

Remus' eyes shot opened wide. _Did I just see what I thought I saw?_, he shook his head lightly "Good work class. Seeing that most of you were able to perform the charm, no homework, and you are dismissed....." he watched Jessi as she shoved her things into her bag and headed for the door. Her patronus was a wolf... he was a bit happy and shaken at the same time. "Miss Carmichael. I need a word with you." he said before she got out of the room.

Jessi stopped abruptly. "You guys don't have to wait I know how you two get without food" she said to Harry and Ron, she turned to Hermione " I'll meet you in the Library later to work on that essay for Arithmancy?" Hermione nodded and the left the room with Harry and Ron. Once they were gone she crossed the room, she stood a few feet away from him not meeting his eyes.

"What time are you free tonight? I have a bunch of third and fifth year essays I need to correct that I might need help on" he asked taking a step towards her.

"Oh...um...about 8:00 or 8:30 I think" she said shifting nervously

"Ok then 8:30?" he said quietly.

"Yeah 8:30 is good......." She nodded her words trailing off, she looked up and finally met his eyes

"Good..." ::he said. He blinked and looked away quickly. "So, it seems that you had no problem in class today...." he said quickly .

"No...I have a few happy memories that I can always call to mind I suppose" she answered, looking down at her feet, quickly then back to him. 

"Seems like they are really happy memories. I couldn't conjure a patronus by saying the incantation that softly" 

"I...um...it's a really recent memory plus I'm not being attacked by Dementors" stopping when she realized what she said.

"I see. And the dementor thing does help a bit...."he said raising an eyebrow. 

"I assumed that" she smiled weakly 

"Do you know why a patronus takes a certain shape?"

"Um...no actually" she said, drawing her eyebrows together shaking her head.

"Well its said that ones patronus will take the shape of something that the owner feels protected most by. In your case, you feel safest or protected by a wolf." he said quietly looking directly into her eyes

She bit her lower lip and averted her gaze " Oh...then why is Hermione's an otter?" she asked trying vainly to change the subject.

"I have no clue. You should ask her." he laughed slightly. He sighed audibly:: "Well I'm sure that it has something to do with someone or something special to her. But no one can be certain a patronus has anything to do with people in anyway...."

"Oh" she said softly, drawing her eyebrows together. 

"But it usually does.. I'm not entirely sure... Don't mind my mindless ramblings" he waved it off. "I assume that you slept well last night?" he said once again changing the subject. "Um...yeah......and yourself?" she snapped her head up looking into his eyes.

"Better than normal" he answered.. He stepped a little bit closer, closing the already small gap that was between them.

"I.....err....that's good" she said, drawing in a quick breath looking up at him.

"I would like to thank you." he whispered in her ear.

"I...um...err...you're welcome but....I.... didn't do anything" she said delicately 

He smirked slightly, looking down at her. "Yes you did. You made me stop thinking." he said this like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Well about everything else but you."

"If you say so Prof....err um.... nevermind" she said laughing quietly

"What?" he asked, mouth still smirking

"I said if you say so" shaking her head

"No you said nevermind."

"I think you're hearing things" smiling playfully

"I do not hear things that were not said" he said, his smirk slowly turning into a small grin. He continued to gaze down at her.

"Uh huh sure you don't" she said smiling up at him.

"I'm sure of it. Now tell me. What were you going to say?" he said sounding impatient even though he was still grinning.

" I didn't say anything....I said nevermind because I stopped mid-sentence" she said rolling her eyes. 

"What ever you say. Even though I know what you said. " he glanced away from her eyes for a moment.

"Ok then...." she said letting her sentence trail off

"So..." he drawled, glancing back at her. 

She looked away, biting the nail of her pointer finger nervously, she looked up at him nervously when she heard him chuckle softly. 

"Oh, I believe I'm holding you up. Your friends will be missing you..."

"yeah....I should............ probably go" she nodded slowly. She took a step backwards toward the door. "I'll see you later"

"See you." he sighed softly. "Bye." he said not taking his gaze off of her.

"Yeah...bye" she said not moving

She took a short breath as he closed the distance between them quickly. She barely had time to think before he pressed his lips lightly to hers. She hesitated only momentarily before she started to kiss him back.

Remus smiled inwardly. So he hadn't imagined this last night, she really did kiss him back. He pressed against her lips a little harder. He had just wrapped his arms around her waist when he heard the door click open.

"Professor Lupin are you still in here?" Harry Potter asked as he stepped back into the Defense classroom. He coughed loudly and smirked as he watched Jessi and Remus spring apart from each other. He was trying not to laugh hysterically at the both of them acting like nothing had happened. "Um.Hermione sent me to find Jessi..lunch is almost over."

"Thanks Harry I was just on my way down" Jessi said casually.

"I'll see you this evening to grade those papers Miss Carmichael." Remus said casually gathering papers from his desk.

Jessi nodded and went out the door that Harry was holding open. They walked silently down the hallway towards the Great Hall. Harry spoke first.

" So Jessi..Remus is just a little older than you" he raised an eyebrow as he spoke.

" Oh hush up Harry" Jessi retorted punching him lightly in the arm.

" Seriously though what was going on back there?"

" I don't know Harry I really don't, I mean that's the second time we've kissed but.I don't know I mean it's not like we can have normal relationship."

"Do you love him?" he asked her quietly

"Love.we've kissed twice I think it's a bit early for declarations of love" she answered rolling her eyes.

"So what is it then?"

" I said I don't know.but Harry don't tell anyone ok?..I mean both of us could get in a lot of trouble" she said looking at him worriedly

" Don't worry Jess I won't say anything" he said reassuringly, slinging his arm over her shoulders in a brotherly fashion.

" Ok then.let's hurry though I'm starving" she smiled brightly at him.

"Then lunch it is kiddo" Harry said as he all but dragged her the rest of the way to the Great Hall. 

A/N: Ya'll Know what to do. Yup Click it. And Send me a Review (Please Review Ya'll Seriously) --WaterLili


	5. Charms and Hogsmeade

Ch. 5 Charms and Hogsmeade

September and most of October flew by peacefully. After they day Harry had walked in on them kissing Remus didn't send Jessi so much as a second glance. Their relationship was strictly student to teacher and nothing more. They rarely spoke even when they were in his office grading papers. At first it bothered Her but eventually Jessi pushed it to the back of her mind and resumed life as normal, or as normal as normal gets anyway.

It was nearing the end of October and Jessi was sitting alone in the Library. She was working so intently on her Defense essay she didn't notice her charms partner Andrew Scottsdale, a Ravenclaw boy with brown hair and blue eyes, sit down at the table across from her. She glanced up at him when he cleared his throat. "Oh…Hi Andrew, what's up?"

"Not much but we were supposed to meet earlier remember?" he asked quietly

"Oh Andrew I'm so sorry I got caught up in this essay and totally forgot" She exclaimed apologetically " if you aren't busy we could practice now"

"Now is fine I have about an hour before Quidditch starts" he answered

"Great…lets go find an empty classroom" she said as she gathered her things shoving them in her bag. They scampered out of the Library talking about Quidditch. They headed down the corridor searching for an empty classroom. They passed Professor McGonagall who smiled and told them she thought that the classrooms one hall over were empty. When they got to the said corridor Jessi realized that they were in the Defense Hall, she shrugged her shoulders and lead Andrew into the 7th year classroom because it wouldn't be used today.

"So what are we working on today Andrew?" she asked, setting her stuff down in a chair. 

"Bubble-Head Charm and the Color Change Charm" he answered smirking slowly.

"I hate the Bubble-Head Charm…that double swish movement is so hard"

"Here watch...I'll so you" he demonstrated the movement, swishing his wand to the right then up and to the left quickly. "See…now you try"

She swished her wand from side to side saying the incantation groaning when nothing happened. They worked for about a half an hour without Jessi ever successfully completing the Bubble-Head Charm. The moved on to the Color Changing Charm and after Jessi showed Andrew the looping point wand motion he successfully change his school bag from black to green and back. She practically glared at him when he said they needed to finish the work on the Bubble Head Charm.

"It's hopeless Andrew...I'll never get it right" Jessi said sadly.

"You are not hopeless" he said kindly, "Come here…I'll help you". He motioned her over and stood behind her. He placed his left hand lightly on her hip and held her wrist in his right, guiding her through the motion. "Like this…..now…say the incantation"

She followed his directions and smiled in delight when a bubble appeared around her head. 

"Andrew...this is wow…..thank you so much I've never gotten that charm before" she ended the charm and smiled at him over her shoulder. She was about to say something else when he kissed her. When the kiss ended she looked up and opened her mouth to speak but saw Remus standing in the doorway. "Professor Lupin…"

"Mr. Scottsdale…Miss Carmichael, I would greatly appreciate it if you would refrain from using my classrooms for snogging" he said harshly. He walked past them to his desk. "You can go now, Mr. Scottsdale". he saw Jessi pick up her bag and begin to leave the room with Andrew. "Miss Carmichael…I don't believe I dismissed you" he was trying to keep his voice normal but knew that his tone sounded harsh and clipped.

Jessi stopped and threw him a glance over her shoulder to judge if he was serious or not. When she saw that he was she quickly bade Andrew good-bye telling him she'd talk to him later. She turned around and slowly crossed the room to stand in front of the desk. "Yes _Professor_" she said with a sarcastic sweetness.

"I'll need your help grading papers tonight" he said coolly.

"Well I can't make it tonight I have a study session….but since you've just sent my Charms partner away I'm free now" 

"Fine, now is just fine" he said tersely, he handed her a large stack of first year essays without looking up at her. He knew she was mad at him, but chose to ignore it as he'd been doing since mid-September. 

Jessi sat grading the first year essays marking off for every minor error, when she looked back over the paper she'd just finished she groaned. _I'm turning into Snape marking things off like this I mean really. _She re-read the essays she had already read giving back points before continuing on, an hour and a half later she stretched and looked at her watch. "Bloody hell" she muttered under her breath.

"Miss Carmichael please refrain form swearing" laying another paper aside.

"Oh right I forgot…..you hear everything...well hear this…I'm leaving I'm late for my study session" she stood hurriedly grabbing her bag.

"Miss Carmichael it would serve you well to remember that I'm your professor" he looked up at her over the top of his glasses.

"Right…you're my professor…here but what about when you're snogging me in dark hallways in the middle of the night" she looked at him expectantly before heading for the door. "I'm late now...thanks"

"Late for a study session riiight….you can say you're going to have a snog" he said bitterly.

"Oh so are you my Professor when you're jealous because someone besides you kissed me?…You haven't said more than two words to me since the day Harry walked in on us….."she trailed off glaring crossly at him. 

"That's childish, I don't speak to you so you go around snogging random boys in my classroom" his eyes were flashing in anger and he was visibly trying to reign in his temper.

"You were right...I'm your student…and that means I can snog whoever I bloody well want to…and you should remember that _Professor_" she turned on her heel and headed out the door of the classroom letting it slam loudly behind her before she let out a heavy sigh.

Remus watched the door slam from behind his desk. Once the resounding _THUD _had dissipated and he knew she had gone he cursed softly and began to pace. _She is messing with my emotions and I don't like it _,he thought to himself as he brought his pacing to a stop by an open window_. _He resented the fact that when she smiled at him the world was right and he hated that seeing her kissing someone else made him seethe with anger. "This isn't good…she's my student…I have to respect that boundary" he said to himself before returning to his desk to try and get some work done. 

Jessi walked quickly down the hallway towards the library, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were going to kill her for being late for this potions research. She entered the library silently and stalked over to their table sitting down, sighing moodily. "What?" she asked them all tersely when she saw the questioning looks on their faces.

"Are you Ok, Jess" Hermione spoke first.

"Yeah you seem more angry…well at least more so than is usual lately" Ron said.

"Ron….it's called tact" Hermione said irritated

"Jess…what's got you so riled?" Harry asked calmly

"Nothing" Jessi snapped at all of them "Sorry guys…I'm fine…let's just get this project done" she said looking at the apologetically them. 

"Sure …let's get started...I hate this place" Ron said referring to the Library

"Oh stuff it Ron" Hermione said impatiently, she then turned to Jessi and Harry completely ignoring Ron "We were assigned Veritaserum…"

"Veritaserum…but everyone knows all about that that's pointless even for Snape" Ron said cutting her off.

"Ron…" Harry said laughing

"We're not reporting on it…we're making it" Jessi said laughing taking over for Harry because he was laughing to hard.

"We're making it?" Ron said utterly confused.

"Yes Ron…We are making it" Hermione said slowly as if she was talking to a small child "Jessi, why don't you and Harry go get the books we need" she said much more pleasantly.

"Um…sure thing Mione" Harry said standing up quickly "Come on Jess….this way"

Jessi followed behind Harry quietly. When the reached the Restricted section Harry grabbed her wrist and made a sharp turn and dragged her toward the back of the Library. He stopped when the reached a window.

"You had a fight with Lupin didn't you?" He inquired in a hoarse whisper.

"I don't know what you're talking about Harry" She answered him off handedly "oh by the way…why are Hermione and Ron at each other's throats?" 

"When are they not fighting, and you know exactly what I'm talking about" He said looking down at her with his eyebrow raised.

"Fine...yes I had a fight with Lupin…No I won't tell you about…and I know that they are _always _fighting I want to know why" she said crossing her arms.

"Ok you don't have to tell me…..and I honestly don't know they've been like this since dinner…speaking of which…"he trailed off the question of where were you obvious.

"I know I wasn't there…first I was studying with Andrew, then I was grading some of Lupin's essays then I was here…and we should get those books before those two kill each other"

"Yeah we should" Harry said somewhat dejectedly

"Harry…what's wrong?" She asked him softly.

"Do you think Mione likes Ron?" He asked sounding scared of the answer.

"Well of course she like him Harry, but she loves you…trust me if I have to hear about how great you are at um….worldly pursuits one more time I'm gonna lose it" she snickered softly at the look of shock he gave her.

"Ok now about those books…..you get them" He said turning her the direction she needed to go.

"Oh no you don't you're coming too" she laughed as they headed to get the books. They gathered the books and returned to Hermione and Ron. They all began to work quickly and quietly, once they gathered the information they needed, they set a place and time to meet to begin brewing. When all of the decisions were made Harry and Hermione went off to do rounds, Ron headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room, and Jessi stayed in the Library to work on her Ancient Runes project. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning Hermione Granger woke up slowly, squinting at the mid-morning sunlight pouring through the windows of her room. She stretched slowly and headed into her bathroom. Once she was showered and dressed she walked out into the area she shared with Harry, she saw his broom gone and remembered that he had Quidditch practice that morning so she went up to the Gryffindor Common Room to see who was around. When she got there she saw only Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas who were playing Wizards chess. "Morning Guys" She said cheerily " Lavender and Parvati didn't happen to mention if Jessi was still asleep did they?" She noticed Dean and Neville exchange a quick look before Neville finally spoke.

"Yeah...they did…the said she never came in last night" he said regretfully

"What…oh dear thanks guys I have to find her" she said dashing back out of the Common room. She decided to check with Professor Lupin first thinking maybe Jessi had actually just left the room early for one of those all day paper grading sessions they had when they were behind. When she reached the office she knocked quickly and entered when he answered. "Oh…she's not here" she said dismally.

"Who isn't here Hermione?" Remus asked looking at her quizzically.

"Jessi….Parvati and Lavender told Neville and Dean she never came in last night and I'm a bit worried"

"What?" he asked, realizing after he spoke that his tone was more worried and angry than it would have been if it was someone else, he took a deep breath "Were they sure…and where else have you looked?"

"I came here first…I thought maybe you two were having one of your all day paper grading sessions…and I don't know if Parvati and Lavender were sure I didn't talk to them"

"Alright well this is a rather large castle…you check the Astronomy Tower and The Great Hall, and I'll look in the Library and the dungeons, meet me in the Entrance Hall in an hour" he watch Hermione nod and they headed out of his office. He ran quick to the dungeons, looking into all of the rooms, the only people he saw were a few Slytherin first years. He then went quickly to the library which at that point in the day was open to 7th year students and faculty only. He entered quietly trying to avoid angering Madame Pince. He glanced around not seeing her in the front so he proceeded to the back of the library, when he noticed her sleeping on top of a very large tome of what looked to be pages and pages of ancient runes. He coughed loud enough for her to hear but not loud enough to alert Madame Pince.

Jessi opened her eyes and cringed at the brightness of the afternoon sunshine that was coming through the back windows, she lifted her head groaning at the stiffness in her neck. She jumped slightly when she saw Remus. "Morning Professor….can I help you?" she asked slightly sarcastically.

"You can start by telling me why you're sleeping in the Library?" he said raising an eyebrow.

"Thank you for waking me, but I don't have to explain anything except my schoolwork…and possible bad conduct but that's beside the point" she said quickly.

"And you don't define sleeping in the Library overnight as bad conduct?" he asked her, sitting down across from her.

"No" she slammed the library book shut and started putting her things into her bag as she glared at him.

"Well I see that we are of a difference of opinion"

"Well then let's agree to disagree shall we?" she got up and started to leave. She had just walked past him when she felt him take hold of her wrist.

"I don't believe you were dismissed, Miss Carmichael" he said lowly.

"That's just plain weak, Professor…..we're having an argument and you start to lose so you pull rank and actually use that status……bloody weak" she said coldly.

"Detention Miss Carmichael…tonight…for arguing and for talking back …7'o'clock...my office" he said angrily.

"Fine…would you mind letting go of me now" she said glancing from his eyes to where his hand was on her wrist. 

He dropped her wrist and glared down at her his usually warm blue eyes turning icy with anger. "Hermione will be waiting for you in the Entrance Hall…and remember you still have Detention" he said coldly, dropping her wrist and storming out of the Library.

Jessi sat back down and stared out the window at the lack students roaming over the grounds, when she realized it was Saturday and a Hogsmeade weekend. She quickly gathered the rest of her things and scurried down the corridor to the Entrance Hall. When she saw Hermione standing there pacing worriedly she couldn't help but smile softly. "Mione…..?"

"Oh Jessi thank Merlin Professor Lupin found you…he did find you right?" Hermione said sounding very very relived. 

"Yes he found me" Jessi answered "So are we going to Hogsmeade today or not?"

"We are as soon as Harry and Ron get done with Quidditch"

"Right then…I slept in the Library so I'm going to go take a shower and change….I'll be at your room in an hour?" she half stated half questioned.

"An hour sounds great you can tell me about snogging Andrew Scottsdale while we wait for the guys" 

"W-W-What?…..how did you know about that?" Jessi asked looking shocked.

"Oh his friend Ty ,who happens to be my partner in Arithmancy, told me when I was in the Great Hall looking for you." Hermione stated plainly "You know Ty…..that dark haired Ravenclaw"

"Tyrone Marshall told you I snogged Andrew" she said rolling her eyes "wow…the exaggerations that things like that go through"

"So you didn't snog him then"

"He kissed me…. once" Jessi said her voice tinged with irritation " that doesn't constitute snogging _and _it wasn't even that good of a kiss"

"Oh really…and who was the last good snog you had?" Hermione said as they began to walk down the hall.

"Professor…oh wait nevermind that was a dream I had" she said quickly covering the fact that the last person she actually had snogged was indeed Professor Lupin.

"You're still hung up on him aren't you?" Hermione asked incredulously

"No…..I'm not hung up on him…I just haven't found anyone else" she sighed as the reached the Gryffindor Common Room. 

"Alright then….we'll start the search today then …..Your Mission should you chose to accept it" Hermione said giggling.

Jessi rolled her eyes and entered the Common Room. She walked straight to the stairs and up to her Dormitory. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that Lavender and Parvati weren't there. She went over to her trunk and got her stuff for her shower, before kicking off her shoes and padding over to the bathroom. She turned the faucet on all the way hot and let the steam fill the room before she shed her robes and uniform and stepped into the shower. 45 minutes later a very wrinkly but much cleaner and happier Jessi emerged from the bathroom wrapped up in a large white towel. 

"Well if it isn't Mrs. Andrew Scottsdale" Parvati said sarcastically.

"What are you talking about?" Jessi questioned as she moved to the end of her bed and began looking through her trunk.

"You and Andrew are a couple now are you not?" Lavender asked lightly not looking away from her mirror.

"No Andrew and I are not a couple" Jessi said through clenched teeth as she climbed onto her bed and shut the curtains to get dressed.

"So you make a habit of snogging boys for no apparent reason?…why didn't we know about this before?" Parvati said, Jessi couldn't see her but she had a feeling the the dark haired girl was putting on yet another coat of bubble-gum pink Lipstick.

"I did not snog him either…..he kissed me once…that's certainly not snogging" She opened the curtains on her bed and hopped off the end sitting down in front of her Mirror "Why do you two care anyway?" she asked them both, running her fingers through her wet hair before performing a drying charm.

"We just don't want to see you get hurt Jess" Lavender said sweetly

"Uh huh…which on of you is about to break up with your current flavor of the week?" she looked between them as she slipped her trainers on.

"Ouch that hurts Jessi" Parvati said sarcastically as she opened a bottle of magical body glitter.

"Oh hush both of you, look if your all that interested in Andrew I don't really care…there is nothing between us, never has been never will be." Jessi turned back to her mirror and surveyed her reflection. She decided to skip the major make-up and just dabbed on a clear gloss before throwing robes on over her muggle clothes and heading out the door.

She reached the Head's chambers about five minutes early and let herself in when Hermione didn't answer the door. She glanced around the sitting room which was just a small version of the Gryffindor Common Room and smiled as she sat down in front of the fire, and picked up a Charms book which she assumed was Hermione's, she flipped through it absentmindedly glancing at the diagrams. She barely glanced up when Harry and Ron entered the room. 

"How'd you get in here Jess?" Harry asked amusedly. 

"Mione gave me the password last week" She standing to stretch "Where is she by the way"

"I'm right here" Hermione said coming out of her room "Is everyone ready to go?"

"Yes" Ron said depressively.

"We have to go sometime Ron, it might as well be now, with friends" Jessi said as she laid her arm across Ron's shoulders.

"Yeah….she's right" Harry said softly

"We should go then" Hermione stated slowly, but instead of moving to the door she moved to Harry's side and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Mione's right" Ron said, he guided Jessi towards the door "Come on you two" he called over his shoulder.

They all headed down the stairs toward the Entrance Hall, not talking just walking quietly. Jessi noticed that Ron's eyebrows were drawn together and he was frowning deeply. "Ron….Are you ok?"

"Yeah Jess...I'll be ok….what about you, you haven't really been you lately" Ron inquired softly.

"I know…I'm sorry" 

"You don't have to apologize" he led her out the front doors and into a carriage. 

Harry and Hermione quickly joined them and the carriage took off towards Hogsmeade. They road silently towards the village each lost in their own thoughts. When they reached the village the sight that greeted them was shocking. In the center of the small village stood a large white marble fountain shooting sparkling clear water skywards. The sound of the water falling into the pool surrounding the fountain could be heard throughout the whole village. The four

approached the fountain together stopping when they reached the edge of the pool. They stood silently letting the roar of the water engulf them lost in the thoughts of those they had lost. 

"For Sirius, Hagrid and My Parents" Harry said speaking first dropping four white flowers they'd transfigured the previous weekend into the pool.

"For Seamus and For Colin" Hermione spoke next dropping her flowers into the pool as well. 

"For My brothers, Zachariah and Alexander" Jessi whispered dropping her flowers.

"For Bill, For Percy, and For George" Ron spoke last, his voice barely above a whisper. After he dropped his flowers into the pool he stared into the water.

Jessi glanced up at Ron and saw a tears forming in his eyes. She embraced him in a sisterly fashion gently rubbing his shoulders as her cried. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Harry and Hermione clinging to each other and she felt herself beginning to cry as well. The four of them stood there beside the fountain crying softly and comforting each other. Awhile later when they had all gotten their emotions in check they walked through the village. Slowly up the hill past the Shrieking Shack, through a grassy field to a grass meadow. They stopped in the center of the field all of their eyes set on a large pile of rocks sitting at the base of a rock ledge on the far side of the field. This was a place few had returned to since the final battle, the place Harry had finally brought down the greatest Dark Wizard in the history of the wizarding world, the Place were Voldemort fell. The four friends looked at the pile of rocks that had crushed Voldemort after a complicated spell had stripped him of all magical ability.

Jessi looked at the faces of her three closest friends, she knew that their thoughts and memories were following the same path as her own. She remembered the day Harry had come to them saying that Dumbledore had found a spell to strip Voldemort of his powers, She remembered the long nights in the Library researching all possible outcomes and the extra practice sessions that all the 6th and 7th years had to go to in preparation for the Final battle. She saw the glint in Harry's eye and she knew he was remembering the previous Halloween when it had started. The feast when Voldemort and his Deatheaters had burst in and the next morning when the older students along with teachers and Aurors had forced the out of the school into the rain. Jessi didn't remember how they had ended up in this field above Hogsmeade that day, but she remembered just like everyone who was there the eerie silence that had filled the air after that pile of rocks had crushed Voldemort. 

"Maybe we should head back towards the village" Hermione suggested a while later as the four of them sat in the grass each lost in their own memories.

"Yeah let's go to the Three Broomsticks and get warm" Ron said offering his hand to Jessi as Harry offered his to Hermione.

They made their way back into town and to the Three Broomsticks each of them smiling weakly at Madame Rosmerta. They found a circular booth in a far corner and Hermione and Jessi sat while Ron and Harry went to get butterbeers. They quickly returned with the drinks and sat down. They all sat sipping their drinks not talking.

"This is it, today ends it" Harry said softly.

"What do you mean Harry, it ended nearly a year ago" Hermione said, looking at him quizzically. Jessi and Ron nodded in agreement with Hermione.

"No it didn't, Voldemort might have fallen but it didn't end. But today it ends….we've said our goodbyes and dealt with the past" he paused and looked at each of them before continuing "We won't ever forget those we've lost, they'll be with us for ever but today is the day we put the past behind us, we live each day to the fullest, We will always have each other….Friends through the best and the worst" He finished

"And we've certainly been through a lot of worst lately" Ron stated dryly

"Yeah we have….what do you say we try to enjoy the rest of today?" Harry said smiling.

"Sounds good to me" Jessi said finally speaking up. "I request a stop at Honeyduke's I need a box of Sugar Quills."

"Honeyduke's it is…" Harry said before he got cut off by Ron.

"Zonko's too" He said sounding somewhat more cheerful. They all quickly finished their drinks and exited the bar talking and generally enjoying themselves as they walked through the streets of the familiar village.


	6. Detention

Ch. 6. Detention

A/N- I really like this Chapter. It didn't go the way I had it planned but that just goes to show…you can't plan. Ok on with the story. Oh yeah. Squishy rocks, Thanks for all the help.

Disclaimer.- Haven't done this in awhile figured I should. I don't own Harry Potter. If you don't recognize it, it may very well be mine, or I may have borrowed it with permission from someone else. 

__

Now on with the story………

Later that night, Jessi knocked on the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom softly. The day in Hogsmeade had been emotionally draining and she didn't feel like dealing with detention tonight. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder while she waited for him to answer the door.

****

"You may enter" she heard him say through the door. She quickly and quietly opened the door. She grumbled under her breath as she entered, thinking to herself _Who made him King. _

"Good to see you are on time Miss Carmichael. Now tonight you are going to be washing the desks without magic. Soap and water are in that bucket, along with a sponge" his voice was clipped and formal.

"Just peachy" she said sarcastically as she dropped her bag into one of the chairs.

****

"Get to work, no talking" he snapped at her

Jessi rolled her eyes and walked over to the bucket. She lifted the bucket up a little to quickly and splashed water on to the floor as she moved to the far side of the room. She saw him turn to grade papers. She turned her back to him and bent over a desk cleaning it with slow methodical strokes, her anger and sadness slowly slipping away.

Remus sat behind his desk trying to grade the essays that the 5th years had turned in today. He got through several and found himself sneaking glances at Jessi as she cleaned the desks. He returned to the essay in front of him trying his best to ignore her but the next time he glanced up at her he noticed that her expression had changed from intense anger to something he couldn't quite put his finger on. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, He sat there, essay forgotten, just openly staring.

Jessi could feel him staring at her but she ignored him, moving on to the next desk, she groaned softly and pushed her hair out of her face. She was tired and ready to just do a cleaning spell and be done with it. She glanced over the 5 rows she'd already cleaned and then turned and saw she still had 6 more, she sighed dejectedly and slumped into a chair:

****

"Something wrong Miss Carmichael?" he asked stonily as he stood up.

"No" she snapped quickly "I'm just taking a break...don't have a cow or anything"

****

"One of the reasons you have this detention is because you were talking back." he said as he approached her.

"Must be a character flaw" she shrugged nonchalantly, she looked up at him eyebrows raised "Was there something you wanted?"

****

"Just observing your technique" he said glancing over at the already cleaned desks.

"cleaning does not require technique" she rolled her eyes at him. 

"It does if it is unsatisfactory" he drawled, putting emphasis out the last word.

"Unsatisfactory huh?" she shot out of her chair, eyes flashing. 

"You heard what I said." he said sounding rather Snape like.

"Did I?" she glanced from his face to the bucket of water on the floor at her feet. 

"Yes you did" he said harshly.

"You really are a giant prat you know" she picked the bucket up gently.

"Excuse me?" he said rather maliciously

"You heard me" she said, gripping the handle of the bucket so hard her knuckles were white.

"Would you like to come back for the rest of the week for detention?" his tone had not changed, and he seemed oblivious to the fact that she was holding onto the bucket.

"You can't give me detention because your mad at me you know that right," she asked him incredulously. 

"Oh its not just because I'm angry with you Miss Carmichael. You are not only insulting a professor, but provoking one too," he ground out between clenched teeth.

"Insulting?…and open your mouth when you talk"

"I do believe you had called me a giant prat not only five minutes ago…and I am Ignoring that last comment"

"Ah that...that wasn't an insult it was the truth"

"Truth or not, you are still provoking a professor"

"Merlin's Beard you're infuriating," she glanced from the bucket of water to him and smirked ",but I'll be here it isn't like I have a choice," she glanced at the water before tossing it in his face, she turned on her heal and headed for the door.

Remus sputtered for a moment, letting the water drip off of his face. He realized that she was leaving, and he turned around and walked quickly up to her, he grabbing her wrist. "That was uncalled for," he said trying to keep a straight face. In fact that was what he need to calm down. He was dripping wet from his head down, and still holding onto her wrist.

"It was called for actually," she glanced down at where he was holding onto her wrist.

"I think you are right actually…" he said visibly trying to hold back his smile, "I'm feeling rather... better now..."   
"Well let's be glad _you _feel better" she said still glaring at him

****

"I, um err..." he shut his mouth before saying anymore  
"You what?" she snapped.   
"I'm sorry" he grimaced and grumbled softly 

"You have nothing to be sorry for Professor" she turned to go but he was still holding onto her.

"Fine, whatever just leave then…." he dropped her wrist and moved away from her.  
She turned to go but realized she'd left her bag in the room, she turned to go back into the room and walked into him. She felt him lose his balance as he fell , accidentally grabbing onto her arms. She fell unceremoniously on top of him, she glanced up at him and then turned her head trying to hide a smirk.  
"Oh you think this is funny" she asked pretending to be mad, when she saw him trying to hide a smirk.  
"Yes I do. Do you have a problem with that?"   
She help but burst into giggles. She was shaking with laughter. She felt his chest rumble softly as he started to chuckle as well. She shifted her weight and slid out of his lap onto the floor next to him. "What?" she asked, glancing up at him when he stopped laughing.

"Nothing," he said looking at her. He raised his sleeve and used it to dry his face.   
"Looks like you're um.....all washed up?" She said with a smirk.   
"This soap tastes bloody awful...." he said grimacing "It brings back the memories of old punishments..."   
"You...got punished?" she raised and eyebrow at that.

"Well, yeah. I did hang out with James Potter and Sirius Black..."   
"It's still hard to believe you ever got detention" she smiled softly.

****

"Got the old bar of soap in the mouth when I got home for the summer... well whenever they visited me.. They brought the best and worst out in me. I did help them quite a bit though.... it was fun.." When he stopped his voice had taken on a sad and distant tone.

"I.....I'm sorry" she said as she slipped her hand into his and squeezed gently.   
"There's nothing for you to be sorry for." He said waving her apology off. "Ah well.. enough self pity..." he said looking briefly down at her hand in his and then back up to her face. They must look ridiculous. His hair wet, and both of them sitting on the floor, holding hands…slightly.  
"It's been quite a day" she sighed softly. When she realized she was holding his hand she let go abruptly. She began to fiddle with the hem on the sleeve of her robe.   
"Yeah it has been." he said off handedly. He looked away from her and stared at the ceiling.  
"Are you ok Professor" she asked him softly.

"Fine, just fine." he glanced over at her.

"Alright...if you say so" she said her voice tinged with worry

He turned and looked straight into her eyes. He didn't say anything he looked down at her face and into her green eyes. He had forgotten the way that they had always glinted in the light from the lanterns on the walls, and was happy that they still did

"W-w-what?" she looked at him shocked.  
"Nothing Jessi.... nothing..." His voice was soft and quiet.  
"Ooook" she said skeptically, moving to get up. She was quite stunned when he moved a hand to rest on her shoulder pulling her back down. She sat next to him, smiling questioningly "Yes?"

"Thanks.. I needed to err…… calm down a bit I guess." 

"Um...you're welcome I guess" she smiled slightly when he nodded  
He nodded and brushed his fingers briefly against her cheek. He regretted almost immediately. He saw her eyes widened at his touch, although he was uncertain if it was from shock or fear.

"Um...I should probably go" she stammered, standing quickly.   
"Ok then," he nodded "Remember you still have detention for tomorrow night..." he smirked  
"Fine whatever" she said, glaring at him.

"I was just kidding you know, you don't have to come for detention, but I do have some essays that need to be graded"

"I think I can handle that" she rolled her eyes.   
"I hope you can..." he said teasingly.**  
**She stuck her tongue out at him playfully before disappearing into the classroom. She walked over to the chair where she'd thrown her bag, she picked it up and slung it over her shoulder. She glanced around the room noticing that she'd never actually finished cleaning the desks, She did a quick cleaning spell before stuffing her wand back into her bag and exiting the classroom. When she re-entered the hall she watched him momentarily, _He looks so sad_ she thought to herself.**"**Why the long face cowboy" she asked cheerily.

****

"Where do you come up with these absurd names?" he snorted, changing the topic quickly.  
"I dunno...and you didn't answer the question" she shrugged.   
"What question?"   
"Why the long face?" she repeated herself.   
"Oh, that, err…. nothing much. Now that I answered your question, would you care to enlighten me with the answer to yours?"   
"The answer to what?" she looked at him curiously. 

****

"Ah, never mind." he said waving it off. He looked at his watch and saw that it was after curfew.   
"No tell me"   
"Nothing. Don't push your luck tonight young lady. You should head up. Its past curfew"   
"I'm not pushing my luck.......yet" she smiled up at him mischievously.  
"Key word there, yet" **  
**"Exactly...yet"   
"And yet you are still not leaving..." he motioned her to the door laughing softly.   
**"**Oh...fine just banish me" she said as she moved to the door of the classroom.  
"I'll be coming with you to help you from Filch and other nasty creatures of the night" he laughed "I also need to stretch my old legs for a bit" **  
"**I'm not afraid of Filch and you aren't old" **  
**"Why wouldn't you be afraid of him, I still am, and yes I am old."   
"Filch is a pushover if you play your cards right...and you are not"

"Well does it look like he'd take kindly to me? No I thought not. And do you even know my real age? Sure I may look 26...."   
"26......I was thinking younger than 40" she said laughing softly.   
"Well thanks." he said dryly "No really I'm about... " he counted on his fingers and looked thoughtful for a moment " 38.. I think...."   
"You think" she looked at him quizzically

"Yes, I think... " 

"Still 38 is not old"

"For me it is. Well anyway, enough discussing my age. Now I wonder where old Peevsie is...."   
"Umm...I'd rather not find out...last time I saw him he dropped green slime on me" She shuddered at the memory.

****

"Green?" he snorted but tried to cover it up with a cough "That should have been interesting... He dropped fluorescent Pink slime on Sirius and James in our second year..."   
Jessi smirked trying to picture Sirius Black…pink. She walked alongside him silently. She was glad the weren't fighting anymore but didn't want to say anything to make him angry again.  
"So..." he said breaking the palpable silence.  
"Yeees?" she glanced up at him.   
"Anything new happening around school?……. Any good gossip?" he asked in a girlish voice  
She couldn't help but laugh at the tone of his voice. He was imitating Parvati and Lavender perfectly. "Oh you mean besides that I snogged 'The Andrew Scottsdale' no" she said rolling her eyes "How do rumors travel so fast around here anyway."   
Remus' left eye twitched at the mention of Scottsdale. He was really starting to dislike that kid. "There are so many girls, and we all know that news spreads like wildfire amongst you lot"   
"When did you develop a twitch Professor?....and I do not gossip"**  
**"Twitch? I don't know what you're talking about. And every girl gossips at one point or another"   
"You do to know what I'm talking about...you twitched...and this girl doesn't....not to anyone except Hermione...and maybe Ginny"   
"That still counts. And I do…not…have a twitch"   
"Ok so I gossip occasionally...and Yes you do"  
"Prove it" he said stopping.**  
**She moved in front of him looking directly into his eyes. "Ok.....Andrew Scottsdale" she said calmly, with a tinge of annoyance in her voice. She watched as he tried to control it but he couldn't, it was involuntary, his left eye twitched as soon as the name left her lips. "See you twitched" 

****

"Err...." He said glancing around the corridor.   
"So answer the question....When did you develop a twitch" she smiled up at him innocently.   
"When? I don't exactly know...." he rubbed the back of his neck, not meeting her eyes.   
"Uh huh" she said rolling her eyes at him.

"Don't roll your eyes at me... I seriously don't know..."   
"I'm sure you don't" she said sarcastically passive.   
"Don't you ever let _anything _go?" he sighed. 

"No" she grinned   
"Thought that." he continued to walk down the all towards the staircases "Hurry along then, don't want you to be too much later, even though I doubt you even missed much back up at the tower"   
"Probably not I think everyone was mostly going to sleep...it was the first Hogsmeade weekend since.....…" she trailed off.   
"I know. I didn't go. I couldn't...." his smirk slipped away from his face.   
"I wouldn't have been able to with out Harry Hermione and Ron" she said quietly.   
"Be glad that you have friends as good as they are Jessi. I mean it. Keep them as close as you can"   
"I plan on it...they really are wonderful"  
"Yeah" he said softly looking down to his feet.

They talked quietly as they made their way back towards Gryffindor Tower. They pause momentarily on the 4th floor while Remus took points from several 3rd years for being out after hours. They stopped when the reached the portrait hole.

"Goodnight Jessi" 

"And muggle cell phones certainly are an…." she stopped mid sentence realizing they had reached the Common Room "Oh yeah…Goodnight Professor." She disappeared through the doorway with a smile and a slight wave of her hand. 

"That girl is something else..." Remus chuckled softly as she left. He stood there with a dopey smile. His thoughts were Interrupted by the Fat Lady, guardian of Gryffindor Tower.

"Remus Lupin are you going to stand there all night grinning like a fool?" she inquired.

"Hello to you too Priscilla" 

"Don't Change the subject….it's quite obvious you like that girl" she said sternly.

"Yes Cilla…I adore that girl….but she's my student" he answered, his smile slowly fading.

"Remus…I haven't seen you smile like that since you were a student here"

"Cilla don't start" he snapped at the painting

"Remus…you let the last person who made you smile go……don't make the same mistake twice" the Fat Lady said quietly.

"Alright…Alright…..I'll do something about it…Goodnight Priscilla" he answered unhappily.

"Goodnight"

A/N: Click and Send me a Review Ya'll.

3 Lili


	7. Announcements

Ch. 7Announcements

A/N- Heywoah All. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Umm…let's see. Squishy Rocks (as always), B. (You're the greatest. Thanks for all the support.) And to all of my SL thanks for putting up with me.

Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter. If you recognize it, it isn't mine. If you don't it might be mine, or it might be on loan. 

__

Now on with the story….

Halloween passed at Hogwarts uneventfully for the first time in many years. October faded into November and the school saw it's first snow. As the days slipped slowly by Jessi and Remus each let their guard down. The awkward silences were soon gone, replaced by an easy though somewhat newfound friendship.

The third Thursday in November all of the students were gathered in the Great Hall awaiting dinner. Jessi, Harry, Hermione and Ron sat talking quietly. Hermione was trying to keep them talking about their Advanced Potions project, but Ron kept glaring over Hermione's shoulder at Olivia Trainer, his on-again-off-again girlfriend with whom he'd just recently broken up with for the zillionth time.

"She's gone to school here for seven bloody years, you would think that she'd realize that we aren't ever going to celebrate Thanksgiving" Ron stated tersely.

"What are you and Olivia fighting about _now_" Harry asked trying to hide a smirk.

"She's bloody mental…she thinks just because she's beautiful and talented and……." he trailed off.

"Ron" Hermione said impatiently

"Yeah Ronniekins...you were telling us why you're fighting with Olivia" Jessi said cutting Hermione off. Ron never got the chance to answer because Dumbledore stood and clapped his hands softly drawing the attention of all the students.

"Attention students…I realize that you are all awaiting your dinner, but I have a rather exciting announcement to make. The other Professor's and I have decide that there will be a Yule ball for all students fourth year and up. It will be held the Friday before you all leave for the holidays and all classes for that day have been cancelled. Now….dig in" he sat down as the food appeared on the table, momentarily forgotten as the mummer of excitement spread throughout the student body.

"Wow a Yule ball…I remember the last one…it was disastrous" Harry stated glumly.

"Yeah, but you went with Parvati last time Harry not to mention the fact that it was three years ago" Hermione stated logically as she buttered a roll.

"Mione" Harry said turning to her "Will you be my date for the Yule ball?" he asked her hurriedly.

"Yes, Harry, I will… not that I'd have said yes to anyone else" She answered him smiling.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning at breakfast all of the students were buzzing with excitement at the prospect of the Yule ball. The Seventh year Gryffindors all watched inconspicuously as the other students went through the process of asking each other to the dance. With the exception of Jessi and Ron none of them had to ask or wait to be asked by anyone, Lavender would be going with Dean, Parvati with Neville and of course Hermione with Harry. When breakfast was over they all ran off to Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"I love Mondays …Double Defense, followed by Herbology and Divination" Ron said practically jumping for joy.

"Or Arithmancy" Hermione and Jessi stated, giggling at Harry and Ron who were pretending to fight as they made their way down the hall. The four of them were about to enter the class when Jessi felt someone catch a hold of her wrist. She turned abruptly and came face to face with Andrew. 

"Andrew….Hi…don't you have Transfiguration right now" she asked confusedly. 

"Yeah, but I needed to talk to you…..alone" he said glancing at Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Um…ok" she turned to her friends "I'll be right in"

"You sure Jess" Harry said stepping forward glaring slightly at Andrew. 

"Yes, I'll be fine" she smiled at them and they entered the classroom slowly. "Alright Andrew what is it?"

"You're still mad that I kissed you?" he said quietly.

"No Andrew I'm not mad you kissed me…..I'm disappointed that you told the whole school that we were snogging" she said defensively.

"I didn't Jessi honestly…I told Jason Henson that I kissed you…he told everyone we snogged"

"Ok ok" she smiled slightly "What was it you wanted?"

"Well I was wondering something…well two somethings"

"and those somethings would be" she laughed softly.

"If you would go to the Yule Ball with and if you would be my girlfriend" he said flashing her a quick grin.

"Mr. Scottsdale…I believe Transfiguration is on the fifth floor….not the sixth" Remus stated harshly, coming to a quick halt outside the classroom.

"I know Professor Lupin…I needed to talk to Jessi about our Charms project" Andrew stated amiably. 

"Then I suggest you do it on your own time. Not mine or Professor McGonagall's. Five points from each of you for being late….yes you as well Miss Carmichael." he stated composedly. 

"I'll talk to you later…"Jessi started but was cut off.

"Miss Carmichael...unless you would like to lose more points I suggest you go inside" Remus said cutting her off.

Jessi shot a weak smile at Andrew and turned on her heel and entered the classroom. She walked quickly to her seat between Ron and Hermione. She slammed her bag on the floor and sat down loudly and angrily. She leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest scowling angrily.

Every student in the classroom looked up from whatever they were doing when the usually calm and pleasant Defense Professor slammed the door so hard it nearly fell off it's hinges. That particular Defense lesson was the most unpleasant any of the students could ever remember having with Professor Lupin. Lupin was taking house points left and right from both Gryffindor and Slytherin, and he literally seethed with anger as he threw Draco Malfoy out of class when he made a typical derisive comment about the lesson. All of the students left the room pale and subdued as they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jessi pounded angrily on the door of Remus' office later that night. She waited patiently for him to tell her to come in. She leaped back slightly when he yanked the door open. "You should be more careful with your doors" She glared up at him as he towered over her.

"Miss Carmichael…I would suggest that you do your work quickly and quietly tonight" he snapped as he shoved a pile of essays into her hands.

"Oh…so it's Miss Carmichael when I do something you don't agree with" she grumbled under her breath as she sank into a chair.  
"What was that?" he said as his head snapped up.

"I said…Oh so it's Miss Carmichael when I do something you don't agree with." she said looking at him raising her eyebrows in annoyance.

"Yes" he said sardonically

"Merlin and Zeus" she threw the essays in the chair as she stood. "Would you make up your bloody mind already"

"Make up my mind about what?…and watch your language" he watched he as she began to pace.

"About this…about us and our relationship" she said gesturing between them and groaning in frustration.

"What are you talking about?"

"What am I to you?…explain to me please? Because I don't get it….am I your student, or your friend, or one of the best friends of your unofficial godson?" she ground out as she walked over to the window.

"I would say all of the above" he said standing up.

"The exact same relationship you have with Hermione and Ron….yet you treat me completely different from either of them." she whirled around to face him eyes flashing somewhere between anger and pain.

"You and I will never have the same relationship I have with Hermione and Ron" he snapped crossing over to her.

"WHY THE HELL NOT" she yelled.

"BECAUSE I DON'T LOVE THEM. I LOVE YOU" he yelled back.

Jessi felt her eyes go wide and her jaw drop. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. She gaped up at him speechless. She watched him as he spun back around and sat back down at his desk. She blinked a couple of times before she picked up her bag and left his office.

A/N- All Right Ya'll know the drill. Click it and Send a Review. 3 Lili 


	8. The Yule Ball

Ch. 8 The Yule Ball

A/N: Ok it's been awhile since I've updated. Sorry. I've been on Spring Break though…I know it isn't spring yet yadda yadda yadda. So on we go…..

The day before the Yule Ball finally arrived. Hermione and Harry both had both returned to the 7th year dormitories to prepare. In the girls dorm dress robes hung carefully from the posts of each bed, with two hanging from Jessi's because that's where Hermione's were as well. Parvati and Lavender kept repeating that they could not believe that Jessi had turned Andrew down in favor of going to the Ball as friends with Ron.

"Jessi…don't let them bother you" Hermione said as she handed her a bottle of Sleekeasy's Hair Potion.

"They aren't bothering me" Jessi said calmly as she once again tried unsuccessfully to get her curly hair to lie flat.

"Jess….why don't you just leave your hair curly" suggested Lavender.

"It wouldn't look right with my robes" Jessi answered as she gestured to her robes. They were navy blue and looked rather plain.

"She's right" Parvati said nodding.

Hermione glanced at her friend cautiously. She knew Jessi didn't want to go to the Ball but was unsure why. She watched inconspicuously as everyone returned to getting ready. She couldn't help but notice that even though her best friend smiled at the right time and laughed in the right places her smiles never reached her eyes. When the other to girls finally left she turned to Jessi. "Ok Jessi…What's wrong…and don't say nothing I know you better than that" she said quietly.

"He told me he loved me" Jessi said in a low whisper as she turned to face Hermione, her eyes filled with tears.

"Who…Andrew?"

"No….Prof…Remus, we had this horrible yelling match, and he told me he loved me and I just….left" she said through tears.

"Oh...Jessi" Hermione moved to her friends side and held her while she cried.

When her tears subsided Jessi smiled slightly and wiped her eyes. "Thank you…I guess I just needed someone to listen."

"What are best friends for " Hermione said softly.

"Well we should get you dressed so you can go down…I have to re-do all my make-up so…." she gestured to the lilac colored robes on the end of the bed. 

"Right" Hermione said as she slipped them on over her head.

"Wow….you look really good." Jessi stated simply. Hermione looked radiant, her soft purple robes were low-cut and clung slightly to her curves. Her usually wavy brown hair had been straightened and fell down her back in soft layers, tiny braids and strands of lilac ribbons holding in out of her face.

"Thanks, I'll tell the boys you'll be down in a minute" Hermione said as she left the room.

Jessi turned to face her mirror contemplating her reflection. She'd finally managed to get her hair to lie flat and it was pulled back in a tight bun. She wore little to no make-up and once she'd put donned her dress robes she thought she looked eerily like she was dressed up as Professor McGonagall. She made a split second decision and set to work. When she was finished she smiled at her reflection and headed for the Common Room.

Harry and Hermione waited patiently, while Ron kept looking at his watch asking what was taking so long. Hermione was about to go back upstairs when she heard the tinkle of breaking glass as a 3rd year dropped the crystal ball he'd been using. She turned to face the stairs and her eyes grew wide. The whole Common Room seemed to stand still as Jessi entered the room. Harry sucked in a quick breath and Ron went slack jawed.

"Wow…Jessi I mean Wow" Ron said as he stepped forward to take her hand.

"Jessi...what?…how?" Hermione asked

"You didn't see it I looked like McGonagall so I did a little charming and changed" Jessi stated as if it was obvious. Her were now sleeveless and laced up the back, the bodice was fitted and the skirt was made of hundreds of what looked to be long gossamer flower petals. They were a pale sage green with delicate pink roses at the waist. Her hair fell in it's natural curls to her shoulders held back loosely by ribbons that matched her dress. 

"Jessi you look beautiful" Harry said breaking the silence.

"Excuse me" a small 1st year boy said "Are you a fairy princess?"

"For tonight" Jessi answered smiling at him.

They all made their way to the Great Hall and were amazed at the transformation. The ceiling was covered in the clear starry sky, while large trees resided in each corner of the room shimmering with white light. Professor Flitwick had charmed fairies to float slowly around the room for extra light. The large room was in a word breathtaking. The four friends stood taking in the serene beauty until Ron spotted Ginny dancing with Tyrone Marshall.

"What does she thinks she's doing" Ron muttered.

"She's being 16 Ron….don't ruin tonight for her" Jessi answered him softly.

"Alright Alright" he smiled at her "Jessi…would you like to dance?"

"Sure…as long as you don't step on my toes" she smirked at him.

"I promise…oh and Jess…thanks for coming with me"

"I'm happy to be here with you Ron…now about that dance"

"Right…" Ron lead her on to the dance floor. 

They danced and laughed commenting on the music. They changed partners every so often. Jessi also danced with Harry, Andrew, Terry Boot, and Justin Finch-Fletchley. While Ron danced with Hermione, Mandy Brocklehurst, Padma Patil and Hannah Abbott. Half-way through the band took a break and the students gathered at round tables spread throughout the room. They all talked amiably but Jessi couldn't help but glance toward where Remus stood talking to Professor Vector. She hadn't spoken to him since November , when he'd told her he loved her. She drifted into her own thoughts only to be startled out of them again by Ron asking her if she wanted to dance.

"Hmm…what was that Ron" she said looking away from Lupin to Ron.

"I asked if you wanted to dance" he said

"Well…actually I think you should dance with her" she gestured towards Olivia who was coming toward them.

"Are you sure you don't mind" Ron said grinning.

"I'm sure Ron"

"You're the best Jessi" he said over his shoulder as he jogged over to Olivia.

Remus watched Jessi as she smiled and shook her head when Ron ran off. He'd noticed her the moment she'd entered the room, he'd nearly dropped his goblet when he saw her. He knew she was beautiful but she was dazzling tonight. He made his way over to where she was sitting and sat across from her. "Hi"

"Hi" she softly, looking up at him.

"Look…about the other night….."

"Don't just don't say it….don't say that you didn't mean it or that you're sorry" she whispered softly.

"Alright we won't talk about it" he smiled weakly.

"Oh great just what I need now…a Malfoy encounter" she gestured to the blonde Slytherin coming their way.

"Well then, I guess your just going to have to dance with me" he said extending a hand.

"What?" she looked at him quizzically

"It's either dance with me or….with him" he said quietly. 

"I'd dance with you Even if it wasn't to get away from him you know" she said taking his hand.

He lead her out onto the dance floor, resting a hand on her waist taking and taking her right hand in his. He held her closer than was probably proper but he didn't care. As the first strains of the song began he smiled down at her and breathed deeply.

_The first time ever I saw your face  
I thought the sun rose in your eyes  
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave  
To the night and the empty skies my love  
To the night and the empty skies_

Jessi lifted her head slowly and gazed at him. She remembered the first time she had met him, on the Hogwart's Express when she was 13. Even then she knew she loved him._  
  
The first time ever I kissed your mouth  
I felt the earth turn in my hand  
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird  
That was there at my command my love  
That was there at my command._

She had to look away from his eyes. The singer's soulful voice engulfed them. The words spoke her feelings nearly perfectly. She remembered with perfect clarity the night he had kissed outside Gryffindor Tower. She trembled slightly as he drew her closer to him.

_The first time ever I lay with you  
And felt your heart beat close to mine  
I thought our joy would fill the earth  
And would last 'till the end of time my love  
And would last 'till the end of time_

She started to relax a bit and she rest her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. She smiled softly at the memory of her so called detention. When she'd managed to end up in his lap laughing her head off.

__

The first time ever I saw your face  
I thought the sun rose in your eyes  
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave  
To the night and the empty skies my love  
To the night and the empty skies

When the last strains of the music died away and the singer stepped away from the microphone, Jessi looked up at Remus. Her eyes were wide with emotion. She took a shaky breath and stepped away from him.

"Umm…Jessi...I think we need to talk" he said quietly as he lead her back to the table.

"I agree…do you think we can get out of here?" she ask him not meeting his eyes.

"Yes…..but not together….to obvious…..meet me in my office in a half hour" he sad lowly, smiling at her.

"A half hour it is then" she looked up at him and smiled.

She sat at the table and watched absentmindedly as he left the Great Hall. She finally took the time to look around the room. She saw her friends and their respective boyfriends or girlfriends dancing and laughing, but she noticed Ron and Olivia were conspicuously absent. As she glanced up at the large clock suspended at one end of the Hall Draco Malfoy moved into her line of vision.

"Ah Jessi, you don't have to pine any longer I am here" Draco said kissing the back of her hand.

"Go Away Ferret " she snapped, pulling her hand away quickly.

"Now Jessi, I think you might want to dance with me and hear what I have to say" Draco said his voice dropping to a low tone.

"I care about what you have to say why?"

"This might persuade you" he said as he handed a small velvet box.

Jessi looked up at him with an eyebrow raised, but opened the box anyway. She was slightly confused for a moment before she realized what she was holding. "A memory box?……Malfoy why did you just give me a memory box?" she asked skeptically.

"Oh I thought you might enjoy it" he said cruelly "_Memoria_" he muttered under his breath. 

Jessi watched as the small screen in the box began to play. She knew her jaw dropped when she saw what it held. The first scene was on the Hogwarts Express when she'd fallen into his lap. The second the first kiss they'd shared outside the Gryffindor Common Room. The third was when they'd been in the Defense classroom, and the final memory scene was when Remus had told her he loved her in his office. She snapped the box shut and looked up at him shocked.

"You didn't actually think I'd lose to a werewolf did you" Draco said with a sneer. 

"So you're going to blackmail me?" she asked warily. "And how did you get those?"

"That's the idea…..You either agree to help me bring down Potter or I take that to Dumbledore…or maybe the Ministry…I doubt they'd look kindly on a student sleeping with a Professor" Malfoy smiled evilly "And I've had people spying on you and Lupin all year….the train incident I saw by accident…after that I knew something was up"

"First off I'm not sleeping with him and secondly what does this have to do with Harry" she spoke her tone even and direct.

"With those memories who'd believe you…and I want Potter brought down…this kills to birds with one stone" Draco he smirked

"Two Birds?" she questioned

"Yes two….I get you and Potter will finally fall"

"First Harry beat Voldemort what makes you think anything you do will defeat him…and secondly…I don't belong to you or anyone else"

"Well then I suppose I'll take the original copy of that memory box to Dumbledore" he said as he turned and began to walk towards Dumbledore.

"Draco….wait" she called after him.

"Yes" he turned.

"I won't help you hurt Harry…or anyone else I love…but anything else….it's yours" she said dejectedly.

"Well…..We'll work something out…first order of business…outside of classes if you ever see Lupin again the deal is off and people are going to see that" he said quietly.

All Jessi could do was nod numbly. What had she just gotten herself into? She was at a complete loss for words. She knew she needed to see Remus and explain to him, but She also knew Malfoy could do serious damage with that Memory Box. She slumped back against her chair as Draco walked away. She sat silently through the rest of the ball. She didn't even notice when time passed for her to go and meet with Remus. When the ball ended Hermione came over and looked at her concernedly.

"Jess…..are you ok?" Hermione asked.

"No…I'm not…I need to talk to you" she said looking up at her friend her eyes filled with tears.

"Ok…come on let's go back to my room" Hermione said gently

"You and Harry didn't have plans?" Jessi asked slowly

"They can wait…Harry and I have our whole lives" Hermione said as the two left the Great Hall. When the reached the Head's Common Room , Hermione popped her head into Harry's room and said something to him before coming back out. They sat down on a couch in front of the fireplace. "Ok…what's up?"

Jessi related the whole story. She told her best friend everything from the first time she and Remus had kissed through to the confrontation with Malfoy. Halfway through the conversation Harry came out and sat in a chair across from them, He was seething with anger when Jessi finished.

"We have to do something he can't black mail you Jess" Harry stated angrily.

"But what…he's got spies everywhere." Jessi said.

"We'll think of something Jess…for tonight you should probably owl Remus and tell him why you didn't show" Hermione said calmly.

"Hermione you're a genius" Jessi said hopping up and pacing.

"Thanks…wait what did I say" Hermione asked confused.

"To send and owl I have to go to the Owlery right?" Jessi asked but didn't wait for an answer "What if the person her saw leave the Owlery wasn't me though?"

"How would you pull that off though" Harry said.

"If you lend me your invisibility cloak and Hermione does me a huge favor…it might work" Jessi said stopping pacing and turning to face them. She proceeded to tell them her plan and when she was done she watched for there reactions.

"Jessi….that's bloody brilliant" Harry stated

"I don't know Jessi" Hermione said "What if he doesn't fall for it"

"He will…..he thinks Harry lost the his Invisibility cloak last year, remember" Jessi said

"I did….but he doesn't know I got a new one" Harry said his eye lighting up mischievously.

"Ok…I'm in" Hermione said.

"Good….let's get this show on the road then." Jessi said moving to Hermione's desk to write her letter to Remus.

A/N: Ya'll know what to do. Click it and Review.


	9. Saying I Love You

Ch. 9 Saying I Love You.

Jessi sat at Hermione's desk, her quill ready to write. As soon as she decided what she wanted to say. When she finally decided she scribbled the note quickly.

_Remus,_

Meet me In the Shrieking Shack at 1 am. It's really important.

Jessi 

"Are you guys ready?" She asked as she rolled the note up and put it into her pocket.

__

"Yeah…are you sure this will work?" Hermione asked warily.

__

"No…but I have to try." She answered softly.

__

"If you want him to meet you at one we have to get a move on" Harry said, handing the invisibility cloak to Hermione.

__

"Right then let's go" Hermione said as she threw the cloak over her shoulders and pulled the hood up over her head.

__

"Thank you two so much." Jessi said looking between Harry and the spot she knew Hermione was standing in, as she pulled on her cloak.

__

"No Problem but let's go" Harry said opening the door for the girls.

__

They walked to the owlery Harry and Jessi talking quietly, Hermione admonishing them in a barely audible whisper ever so often to keep it down. When they reached the owlery Jessi sent her letter to Remus with Persephone, telling the owl to go quickly and not get caught. After they sent the owl the three friends moved quickly across the grounds to the Whomping Willow. Harry used a stick to prod the knot at the base of the trunk and they quickly entered the passage. Hermione went first, still covered by the Invisibility cloak, followed by Jessi and finally Harry, who closed the hole quickly. Hermione took the invisibility cloak off and the three of them stood nervously glancing at each other.

"Thank You two so so much" Jessi said quietly.

"We're your friends, we want you to be happy…."Hermione said before Harry interrupted her.

"….and we'd never let Malfoy get away with blackmail"

"You too really are the best" She said hugging each of them.

"We should get out of here before Remus shows up…if we pass him in the hall the whole thing will be blown." Hermione stated logically.

"Yeah…right" Jessi said softly, as she handed Hermione her cloak.

"Jess are you sure about this?" Harry asked "Are you sure you don't want to just come back up to the castle?"   
"No…I'm sure" 

__

"Alright then….here goes nothing" Hermione said. She threw Jessi's cloak over her shoulders and pulled the hood up so it obscured her face. "We'll see you tomorrow in the kitchens at 10 like always right?"

"Of course…it's tradition" Jessi said.

__

"Mione…..we have to go" Harry said "If we don't we'll never make it back into the castle without running into Remus"

"Alright….bye Jess" Hermione said as Harry lead her out the door.

Jessi watched as Harry and Hermione ascended the stairs back out onto the grounds. When the door was shut Jessi lit the end of her wand and hurried down the passage to the Shrieking Shack. She entered the darkened shack. She glanced at the old clock someone had left hanging on the clock. It was one exactly. 

Jessi paced the room slowly waiting for Remus. The next time she looked up at the clock it was nearing twenty after. She glanced out the window of the Shack into the dark streets, she debated going out into the passageway to look for him when she heard the trapdoor squeak open. She turned and was about to speak when she caught the coldness in his eyes.

"Hello" he said stonily.

"Hi" she tried to sound cheery, but the tone of his voice when he spoke wouldn't let her. 

"Was there something you wanted when you sent that note to me?" he spoke evenly, but his voice barely concealed his anger.

"Well yes…but Why are you so angry?"

"Why am I angry…..You know I've thought about you a lot over the last four months, the thought that you were stupid never entered my head until now" he ground out.

"Are you going to throw insults all night or actually give me a straight answer" Jessi asked him.

"Did you honestly think I wouldn't find out you were down here with Harry?…Was that why you sent that owl…you wanted me to find the two of you together?" his voice dropped an octave making him appear deceptively calm.

"Harry?…You think I was here with Harry? That's wrong on so many levels I mean…." she was cut off abruptly by Remus who seemed to not have heard her.

"Does he love you? Does he make you feel like your heart is going to burst just because your near him? When you're with him does the whole world seem right?" he practically roared as her crossed the room to her, pining her between himself and the wall.

"Remus if you'll just….." She was cut off when he kissed her, hard. His lips crushed hers in a violent attack. Jessi responded to him almost immediately, kissing him back fervently. When the kiss finally ended they were both breathing heavily. Jessi looked up at Remus unable to speak. They stood in silence for what seemed like hours before Remus finally spoke. 

"Does Harry make you feel like the way you feel now" he asked her quietly, his breathing still shallow.

"I wouldn't know I've never seen Harry as more than a close friend" she said softly as she tried to move away from him, only to find herself still trapped between him and the wall.

"But...you…and he…." he sputtered.

"If you would have given me a chance to explain, I would have told you everything" she continued hanging her head. "Harry and Hermione were both down here with me tonight. They were helping me get out here so I could see you"

"Why did you need their help to see me?"

"That's why I didn't come to your office tonight, Malfoy...he's got a memory box." she stated plainly.

"Jessi….lots of people have those…I have several" he said raising an eyebrow.

"If your not going to listen I'm going back up to the castle" her voice rising slightly in annoyance.

"Ok ok I'll listen" he said guiding her over to a worn out couch near the fire place.

"So Malfoy's memory box contains just about every private moment we've had this year. Starting on the train up through the other night in your office when….you said you loved me" she stopped to take a breath, but held a hand up to keep him from interrupting. "He said if I saw you again he'd take it to Dumbledore, You'd lose you job, I'd be expelled….so I agreed. Outside of class I'm never supposed to see you again."

"That little rat…Jess, I'm so sorry for earlier I should have given you a chance to explain, I should have trusted you." he said quietly.

"Yes you should have" she said nodding.

"I really am sorry Jessi…please don't stay angry"

"I'm not angry, I never was, I'm hurt that you didn't trust me but I'm not angry"

"I know, I should have trusted you…and I knew in my head that even if you were down here with Harry you weren't doing anything …..but just the implication made me want to break something"

"That's rather unlike you….you hardly ever get that angry"

"I know…you do that to me…the thought of you with someone else does that to me every time…I meant it when I said I loved you"

"I love you too….that's what I was going to tell you tonight"

"You….You…" he stammered

"Yes, I love you…you and only you….I think my heart has known that since I was thirteen my head just took a while to catch up" 

"Since you were thirteen?" he asked.

"mmmhmmm" she answered softly. 

"You know we can't stay down here all night right?" he half stated half asked as he gently kissed her temple.

"Yes…I can think of much better places for us to spend our time." she said lifting her head to look in his eyes. 

"Jessi…don't start something your not ready for" he said warningly.

"Who says I'm not ready?" she asked.

"Jess…you can't know what you're talking about. You're to young and I could hurt you. That's the last thing I want is to hurt you" he stood and paced as he spoke.

"Remus….stop it…..I'm not made of glass…I won't break" she said standing and walking over to him resting her hand on his arm.

"I never want to hurt you…ever" he said softly, taking her in his arms and burying his head in her shoulder.

"You won't I promise" she embraced him gently.  
"Jessi…you don't know …you've never seen me as…"

"I have though…third year remember" she cut him off placing a finger over his lips.

"How could I forget?…I just never want to hurt you" he said quietly.

"I already told you you won't" she rose on her toes and kissed him softly. 

"Alright…just because I'm dropping it now though doesn't mean I won't worry about it."

"You don't have to but I know I can't stop you."

"What do you say we head back up to the castle…find a real fire….or we could start one of our own" he whispered in her ear.

"Hmm….we'll have to see won't we?" she asked, shivering slightly when his warm breath hit her ear.

"That we will" he said as he handed her the invisibility cloak.

Jessi slipped the cloak on and pulled it up over her head. "Lead on"

The two left the Shrieking Shack. They proceeded quickly across the grounds. It might have looked odd to an unknowing onlooker when Remus held the door open when he appeared to be alone. They walked silently down the deserted corridors. When they reached his door Remus said several incantations, pushed open the door and lead Jessi inside as he flipped on the lights.

"Here we are, I'll go start that fire….you're lips are blue, how long were you out there?"

"I'm not really sure...an hour and a half or so" she mumbled glancing around the room. They had entered a small sitting room that looked like similar to the Gryffindor Common Room. Jessi looked around the room thoughtful, she noticed that he had a whole wall of bookshelves that were filled from floor to ceiling. The whole room was incredibly neat and tidy. "This room fits you?"

"How so?" he asked.

"It's very ordered and neat" she turned to face him. "Everything in it's place"

"Not everything" 

"No?" she asked softly looking up at him. "What's missing…did you leave…"

"Jessi, sweetheart, there's nothing wrong don't look so worried" he smiled at her chuckling softly.

"You're sure?"

"Well there is one thing?" he smirked and took a step closer to him.

"What?"

"You're standing so far away…come here you" he grinned at her as he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I agree…this is much better"

Jessi didn't get to say much else before Remus kissed her again. She didn't hesitate at all in kissing him back. She slowly slid her arms around his neck, more to keep herself from sinking to the ground that anything else.

Remus groaned softly when she kissed him back. He was either in heaven or he was going to hell, at the moment he didn't care which. With a wave of his wand he extinguished all of the lights plunging the room into darkness. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jessi snuggled further under the blanket, smiling contentedly when she felt Remus' arm tighten around her waist. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and groaned, she only had two hours to finish packing and meet her friends in the kitchens. She shifted out from under his arm and sat on the edge of the bed smiling softly. 

"Morning" Remus said returning her smile.

"Good Morning" she said leaning down to kiss him.

"You leaving already?"

"Regrettably Yes….I have to finish packing before I meet up with Hermione, Ron and Harry" she said as she dressed quickly.

"You're leaving for Christmas then?"

"Yeah, I wish I wasn't but when my Mother says come…you come" she rolled her eyes as she slipped on her shoes. "Besides...it isn't as if you're staying here, I have it on good authority you and Harry are going to Grimmauld Place"

"Yeah we are, then to the Weasely's for New Years Eve."

"I'll see you there then, if I can get past my prison guard" 

"Prison guard?" he asked skeptically.

"Nevermind…I should go though" 

"You're probably right."

"I'll see you after Christmas then" 

"Have a Happy Christmas Jess" he said as he kissed her.

"You do the same, I love you"

"I love you too"

She left the bedroom quickly. Throwing the Invisibility cloak on she slipped into the corridor and headed for Gryffindor Tower. She entered tower as Parvati and Lavender were leaving and she slipped silently upstairs into her dormitory. She took her shower and dressed hurriedly as she packed. She entered the Common Room just as Ron came in.

"There you are…where have you been?" he asked impatiently.

"I was packing Ron, you know to go home"

"Oh well, nevermind then…you're looking extremely happy this morning."

"So I'm not allowed to be happy?" she snapped at him.

"Of course you are it's just you look the same kind of happy you usually did after you'd spent the night with Oliver back in 5th year" Ron said smirking "You didn't see old Oliver last night did you?"

"No I didn't see Oliver last night…I haven't seen him in ages" she mused as she sank into an armchair.

"But you did see someone then?" Ron asked sitting across from her.

"Mmmhmmm"

"Who?" Ron asked looking at her puzzled.

"I'll tell you later….and for the record I never slept with Oliver"

"You didn't?" 

"Nope" she shook her head. 

"McGonagall just came in…..she never comes in on train days, wonder what she wants?"

"How should I know"

"Miss Carmichael, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office before you leave for the holidays" McGonagall said as she approached them.

"Do you know why Professor?" Jessi paled visibly as she asked. 

"Yes, I do, It appears you will be leaving us for the next term…Professor Dumbledore will give you the complete information."

"O-o-ok" she stood and turned to face Ron "Go on and meet Hermione and Harry, I'll be down after I talk to Dumbledore"

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit then" Ron said as he hurried out the portrait hole.

Jessi followed Professor McGonagall down the hallway towards Dumbledore's office. McGonagall went up almost immediately leaving Jessi alone in the hallway wondering why she was there. She paced slowly but stopped abruptly when the stone gargoyle sprang to life. She looked warily at the stairs standing at the bottom peering up into the office.

"Miss Carmichael please come up" she heard Dumbledore call. She went precariously up the stairs nervous as to what she'd find when she got there. "Ah…Miss Carmichael please have a seat" Dumbledore gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. 

"Thank you Professor" she said quietly as she sat. Even though she'd been in his office several time she still couldn't help but look around. When she finally looked back at Dumbledore he smiled at her.

"Miss Carmichael, It is quite regrettable that you will not be joining us for the majority of the next term" his said 

"That's what Professor McGonagall said but….."

"Miss Carmichael, it might be beneficial for you to not interrupt and for you to actually listen to the Headmaster" Professor Snape snapped as he came out of the shadows.

"Severus…please, it's quite alright Miss Carmichael" Dumbledore said. "Miss Carmichael, do you remember filling out forms for the St. Mungo's program?"

"Yes…at the end of last school year, I had assumed since I hadn't heard from the yet I didn't get in" she shrugged.

"Well you have been accepted. The acceptance letters for the Hogwarts students came last night." Dumbledore said smiling. "Miss Patil of Ravenclaw and Miss Zambini of Slytherin have both already been notified."

"This is…just…wow…I can't believe it" Jessi stammered excitedly.

Dumbledore spent the better part of a half an hour telling her the rest of the details. She left his office beaming and practically skipped towards the kitchens. Near the door she ran into Padma Patil and they congratulated each other and promised to owl about possibly getting a flat together. She skipped into the kitchen and beamed at her friends.

"You look absolutely ecstatic Jess….I thought you were gonna have to leave Hogwarts?" Ron asked worriedly.

"Did Malfoy find out about you and Remus seeing each other last night? Did he take the memory box to Dumbledore?" Harry questioned quickly.

"If you have to leave why do you look so happy?" Hermione put in. "This certainly still can't be a residual glow from being with Remus?"

"You were with Remus?" Ron nearly yelled "Jessi he's a teacher, Merlin"

"Ok…slow down, Yes I'm leaving Hogwarts, but it's a good thing I'll explain in a minute. To my knowledge Ferret head doesn't know about me seeing Remus last night." Jessi paused to take a breath before continuing "Yes I'm very happy , and If this is residual glow I wouldn't know."

"You slept with Oliver in fifth year though" Harry said smirking

"Did not, came close though , I just wasn't ready" Jessi answered grabbing a croissant of Ron's plate. 

"Well now you tell us this…but that's beside point, Why are you so happy about having to leave Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Hermione, do you remember when I filled out all that paper work for the St. Mungo's Early training program?" Jessi asked, thanking Dobby for the cup of tea.

"Yeah…it's all you talked about for days" Hermione answered. 

"Well I got in" Jessi said excitedly. 

"Jess that's so great" Hermione shrieked hugging her friend.

"What are you two on about?" Ron asked genuinely confused.

"Well every year St. Mungo's accepts three students from each of the major wizarding schools to start their Healer's training in there last term of their last year. They spend the term at St. Mungo's training under the most prominent and specialized Healers and then come back to sit their NEWT's and graduate with the rest of their class." Jessi explained

"Wow…that sounds like a great opportunity, but you said three students" Ron said.

"Yeah Padma Patil and Blaise Zambini both got accepted as well… I ran into Padma in the hall we talked about getting a flat together"

"P-p-Padma?" Ron stuttered. 

"Yes why?" Jessi asked.

"It's just…I can't believe she was gonna leave and not tell me" Ron said

"What are you talking about mate" Harry asked.

"Padma and I got together after the last time Olivia and I broke up, it wasn't serious till recently, well last night when I told her I loved her…..and she was gonna leave without telling me" he ended on a sad note.

"Ron, they just told everyone this morning she want to tell you but hasn't seen you yet" Jessi said softly.

"I have to go find her I'll see you guys on the train" Ron said as he dashed out of the kitchens.

"Speaking of telling people" Harry said 

"I'm not going to tell Remus yet, if that's what you're getting at Harry" Jessi said finishing the last of her tea.

"You're really going to leave without telling Remus?" Hermione asked. 

"Today yes, I'll tell him when I see him on New Year's" Jessi stated looking between Hermione and Harry. 

"Fine…..but you have to tell him then, no putting it off" Harry said.

"I know Harry" Jessi said standing. "We should hurry though or we're liable to miss the train."

"Right let's go then." Hermione said.

Jessi glanced one last time around the kitchen waving goodbye to the house elves. As they walked back towards Gryffindor Tower to get their bags for the train Jessi looked around thinking about all the adventures she'd had here and all the friends she'd made. All three snickered softly when they saw Ron and Padma kissing in front of the tower, apparently Padma had been planning on telling Ron. 

They all boarded the train talking happily. Jessi sat looking out the window of the cramped compartment, watching as the rain ran down the windows in small rivulets. _I guess Hermione was right. This year wasn't nearly long enough. _


	10. Christmas!

Ch. 10. Christmas.

A/N: Ok here's the deal. This story is completely finished and saved on my computer. Yay! The point of telling you this is that the more you review the more I'll post. (Cheap, I know but…..oh well.)

The train ride back to London was uneventful. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Padma, and Jessi all piled into one compartment. They talked about their plans for the holidays, and what they hoped would happen in the next term. Dusk was just beginning to fall when the train pulled into Kings Cross. 

Jessi stepped off the train scanning the crowd. She was expecting one of her brothers or her grandmother's driver. She did a double take when she saw her father standing under an awning. She bolted away from her friends and across the platform. 

"Daddy'' she called as she threw herself into his arms.

"Hello Princess, I've missed you.'' Grayson Carmichael said hugging his daughter.

" I missed you too….why are you here? You never come to the train station. You're not leaving again are you?" She was talking a million miles a minute.

"Jessi, Princess, slow down. I'm not going anywhere. Toby and Jeremiah both had to work, and my train got in just before yours" he smiled at his daughter. 

"I'm so happy you're here. I don't think I could spend Christmas with just her again"

"Jess, I know you and your mother don't get along but She's your mother you have to respect that."

"I know" Jessi said glumly.

"Jessi you left your bag on the train" Hermione said approaching with Harry, Ron and Padma in tow.

"Oh thanks Hermione" she took the bag gratefully from her friend. "Harry are you and Remus spending Christmas at the Burrow or are you going to Grimmauld Place?"

"We'll be at Grimmauld place for the week of Christmas but then we're going to the Burrow." Harry said, smiling at her knowingly.

"Jessica, Are you going to introduce me to your friends?" her father asked.

"Yes, of course, where are my manners?" she laughed softly "Daddy I'd like you to meet Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, Head Boy and Girl and two of my best friends, Ron Weasley, Gryffindor Prefect and my other best friend, and Padma Patil, Ravenclaw Prefect and my soon to be flat mate." she smiled brightly as she indicated each of her friends. "Everyone this is my Dad."

"It's nice to meet you all...wait flat mate?" He looked at Jessi curiously.

"Yes, I'll tell you in the car, Bye everyone have a Happy Christmas, I'll see you on New Years" she waved goodbye "Oh and Padma owl me about going flat shopping"

Jessi and her father loaded their things into the car as they talked quietly. Jessi told him about the St. Mungo's program and about how she'd been made a Prefect when Hermione was named Head Girl. Her father told her of his travels to China and the United States. When they pulled into the round drive of the house Jessi sighed softly.

"Jessi come on it won't be that bad." her father stated.

"Daddy I know you married her but I don't care if she is my mother. I can't stand to be around her. She picks on everything I do nothing is good enough" she ranted.

"Jessica Anne….stop it." her father said sternly. 

"Daddy…." she looked at him stunned.

"No Jessi, I realize your mother isn't exactly the maternal type, but she's been through a lot" he said placing his arm around her shoulder. 

"GRAYSON" her mother's shrill voice came through the front door which was being held open while workers carted in an overly large Christmas tree. 

"Hello Marissa" her father said calmly as he shot Jessi a look as she cringed. 

"Grayson, my love it's so wonderful to see you….oh you to Jessica" her mother said.

"Hello mother, Daddy is it ok if I use the Floo in your office I need to go shopping?"

"Sure, Sweeth…"

"No, Grayson darling, she just got home, don't you think she should stay around for a bit?" her mother asked sweetly glaring at Jessi over her father's shoulder.

"I suppose, Sorry Jessi, You can go tomorrow." 

"But Daddy……"

"No Jessi, go visit with your Grandmother." he said before turning to his wife and talking to her lowly. 

Jessi stomped into the house and stood in the front hallway. It looked like the North Pole and Witch Weekly's Christmas extravaganza had exploded. Their house hadn't been decorated for Christmas in as long as she could remember. Her mother pretty much ignored holidays unless her father was around. She rolled her eyes at the extreme measures, but smiled at Jingle when she ran by balancing boxes of tree decorations on her head. She dodged a decorator putting garland on the main staircase banister as she headed toward her Grandmother's wing of the house. . 

"Grandmother…Are you in here?" she asked softly as she knocked on the door.

"Jessi dear is that you?"

"Yes, Gran." she entered the room slowly and saw her Grandmother sitting on her bed propped up against pillows. "Grandmother, what's wrong, what happened, are you ok?"

"Yes child I'm fine…come over here" her grandmother motioned for her to come and sit on the bed. When she got there her grandmother took her hand. "I'm slightly ill but I'm fine"

"Gran, mother has something to do with this doesn't she?"

"Jessica" her grandmother said in a warning tone. 

"I know I know…she's my mother yadda yadda yadda" 

"Jessi, Your mother has nothing to do with my being sick. I'm old sweetheart." 

"You're not as old as Dumbledore"

"Dumbledore is much more magical than I am"

"You're not dieing are you?" Jessi slid down onto the bed resting her head in her grandmother's lap, like she'd done when she'd need comfort as a child.

"We're all dieing, love" her grandmother gently stroked her hair.

"I can't lose you Gran, You're all I have here. Daddy's never around Toby and Jeremy are living their own lives" she cried softly into her grandmother's lap.

"Jessi, I'm not going to die anytime in the near future, I never meant to give you that impression, Sweetheart, You might not realize it now but you're well on your way to living your own life just life Toby and Jeremy. You're going to graduate Hogwarts and become a healer, and raise a family of your own."

"I love you Gran." 

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Jessi sat with her grandmother for the rest of the evening. They talked about ho school was. She told her Grandmother about Remus, leaving out that he was a werewolf and her Professor. Jessi left her grandmother's room, happy and looking forward to at least some aspects of the holidays.

The next day Jessi practically skipped into her father's office. She act in one of the large chairs in front of his desk and picked up a section of the _Daily Prophet_. She read through a section of the paper then set it carefully on the desk. "Daddy?" she asked looking up at him warily.

"Oh Good Morning Princess" he said smiling over the top of the paper. 

"Daddy, can I go do my shopping today?" she asked.

"Sure, Use the Floo to Diagon Alley and then take the underground if you have to go to the muggle side" he smiled at her.

"Thanks Daddy you're the best." she hugged him and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder. "Diagon Alley" she was suddenly whirling through the Floo Network. She came out in the Leaky Cauldron. She walked down Diagon Alley happily, the snow that blanketed the ground was charmed to stay clean and white and small fairies floated around merrily giving off multi-colored light. 

Her first stop was Quality Quidditch Supplies. She entered the bustling store smiling at the vast array of brooms, and team memorabilia. She browsed the Cannons section picking out several newly published posters and a team roster. She also picked up a Quaffle, apparently she was going to have to call in a favor from Oliver. 

She browsed through Flourish and Blott's, Magical Menagerie, and the stationary store. She bought a few thing's here and there but mostly ended the morning empty handed. She made her way down the street toward the garishly colored location of Weasely's Wizard Wheezes. She stepped through the door and was nearly bombarded by a young boy carrying boxes stacked above his head. She helped him right his packages and held the door for him. When she turned around she found herself engulfed by two red heads. "Hello Fred." she said happily. 

"Jessi, my love it's been ages." Fred said placing an arm around her guiding her in.

"Now Fred you wouldn't be man-handling my baby sister would you?" Toby asked coming out of an office. 

"Of course not Toby, I was bringing her to see you" Fred said.

"Toby!" Jessi said happily hugging her brother. "I'm glad you quit Auror training. You would have hated that job."

"I agree that's why I'm accounting for these to blockheads." Toby smiled and lead her into his office.

Jessi and Toby sat in his office talking. He told her about life working with Fred. He also told him that their mother had nearly disowned him when he'd quit Auror training. They talked for an hour or so when Jessi realized she still had shopping to do.

"What are your plans for the rest of the afternoon?" Toby asked.

"I'm going into muggle London, there's this fantastic used bookstore I want to go to" she answered happily.

"But you never buy books as gifts" he said giving her a questioning look.

"This is for someone special, other than going to the bookstore and placing an order at Honeyduke's I'm done" 

"Ah, what'd you get me?"

"I'm not telling, oh but I do have a favor to ask you"

"What is it?"

"Do you still have all the stuff you had to get to start Auror training, the books and gadgets and what-not?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Could I have it? You don't want or need it and Harry is still on the wall about whether or not he wants to apply for Auror training or not." she said speaking quickly.

"Yeah sure you can have it to send to him, I'll bring it with me when I come for dinner tonight"

"Toby you're the best" she hugged him.

"I know" he smirked.

"You're so conceited sometimes, you almost sound like a Malfoy" she punched him lightly.

"Don't say that…ever. He's not still bothering you is he?" his voice changed from annoyed anger to worry.

"Yeah, but not about the same things" she answered softly.

"Something besides you and him getting involved?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you what, so please don't ask" she said softly.

"Jessi?" he rounded the table dropping to his knees in front of her. "You can tell me anything, we're siblings remember"

"I can't tell you this Toby, I just can't, hardly anyone knows" she said tears welling up in her eyes.

"So someone knows, just not me?" he sounded hurt.

"Yes, but I can't tell you yet. I will as soon as I start at St. Mungo's in January but until then I can't" 

"Alright, but the first day you start, we're having lunch and you're going to tell me everything deal?"

"Deal" she hugged him. "Ok, now that we've had all possible relevant conversations I really have to get to the bookstore"

"I'll see you at dinner then." 

"Yup, bye" She said as she slipped out of his office. She waved good-bye to Fred who were sitting half hidden behind boxes and boxes of pranks. She exited the shop with a final wave to Lee Jordan who ,was putting together a display in the front window, and headed toward the Leaky Cauldron.

Jessi ambled slowly down the streets of muggle London. She smiled at the other holiday shoppers that bustled past her. She quickened her pace as she made her way to the bookstore. When the store came into view she beamed. 

Bennett's Used Books had the perfect atmosphere. It was quiet and dimly lit. The selves were spaced at various intervals throughout two floors. Patrons could browse through literally thousands of used book until they found what they were looking for. 

Jessi browsed the aisles for a bit until a book caught her eyes. She knelt down and pulled it off the bottom shelf. It was a signed, first edition of _A Tale of Two Cities_ by Charles Dickens. She grinned at her luck tucking the book in the crook of her arm, she continued on her way selecting several other aged volumes. She was kneeling on the floor again when she heard footsteps behind her, she scooted closer to the bookcase she was in front of hoping the she was giving the person enough room to pass.

"Excuse me, Miss" a voice she hadn't heard in nearly a year said.

"Oliver?" she said looking at him over her shoulder her eyes going wide in shock.

"Jessi?" Oliver Wood was genuinely shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"What's it look like? I'm shopping" she answered rolling her eyes and standing up.

"There's no need for sarcasm Jess"

"I was going to ask you the same thing actually? You hate reading" 

"I'm looking for a gift for someone special" Oliver answered generically.

"Right, well I'll let you get back to your shopping" she took a step back and flattened herself against the bookcase to allow him to pass. Once he was passed she knelt again.

"Wait...Jess" he turned back around.

"Yes" she looked up at him.

"Why is this so weird?" We were friends once" he asked kneeling next to her.

"Oliver, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms"

"Why?" he interrupted her.

"I don't know, You were angry, I was hurt, we both said things we didn't mean" 

"Jessi?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes, Oliver" she answered not looking up from the copy of _Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man_ she was looking at.

"Do you think that maybe….Why do you have a bag full of Cannons memorabilia?" he asked suddenly taking notice of her shopping bags.

"That wasn't your original question was it?" she asked looking up.

"No but answer it anyway" he looked at her seriously.

"Except for the broom handle polish, which is for Me, anything in the Quality Quidditch bag is for Ron, it's his Christmas present" she said laughing softly.

"You bought Cannons stuff, Jess are we really that distant that you couldn't just owl and ask?" he looked from the bag to her face.

"Oliver, I don't need you to supply gifts for my friends, I would have bought that stuff even if we were still together" 

"Jessi that's not the point"

"Then what is Oliver? We always knew this conversation would be awkward."

"The point is we dated for two and half years, you should at least be able to ask me for a bloody poster" his voice rose slightly and his accent became more prominent.

"First, keep your voice down this isn't a Quidditch pitch. Second, I know how long we dated Oliver I was there remember, **from the first kiss to the very last rose**, and I was going to owl you later today anyway?" she said keeping her voice even.

"You were?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, and don't give me that look, you know I can't handle _that _look" 

"What look, I'm not giving you a _look_? And why were you going to owl me?"

"You are giving me a look, but I'll just ignore it. And I was going to owl you about a Quaffle." she said putting another book she wasn't going to purchase back on the shelf.

"A Quaffle?" 

"Yes, see the one in that bag?" 

"Yeah I figured it was for Ron" he looked at her quizzically.

"It is, but it isn't what I wanted."

"Would you please enlighten me as to what in Merlin's beard you are talking about?"

"Several weeks ago there was a Quaffle signed by every member of the Cannons I wanted to get it for Ron, however when I got to the store it was already sold." she looked up at him as if this was perfectly obvious.

"And you want me to take it and get it signed?" he asked sarcastically.

"Mmmhmmm" she answered placing another book on the pile she was considering purchasing.

"Fine, I'll do it" he said glumly.

"Thank you so much Oliver, you don't know what this will mean to Ron" she said happily.

"I'll do it on one condition" he said looking at her sideways.

"What?" she asked warily.

"You have to be my date for the International Quidditch League's Annual Christmas Ball" 

"Oliver…I can't"

"Why?" he asked disbelieving 

"I'm sort of seeing someone" she said softly.

"Who? Someone from Hogwarts? Do I know him?" he fired questions in rapid succession.

"I can't tell you who, Technically yes he's at Hogwarts, and Yes you know him" she answered his questions.

"Why can't you tell me, you aren't embarrassed about it are you?"

"NO" she nearly shouted "I'm not embarrassed he's the most wonderful man on the face of the planet"

"Then, why not tell the world?" 

"This is really none of your business" she shot back at him hastily.

"You're right. It's not" he answered softly.

"Please Jessi, come with me. Just as friends"

"Oliver…." she looked at him skeptically, debating an answer.

"Please, Jess……it's only three hours and then you never have to talk to me again." he pleaded.

"Ok. Fine. I'll go. As friends nothing more." she said finally.

"Thank you. If you're done with your shopping I'll help you carry your stuff back to the Leaky Cauldron." he said genially.

"I think I'm about done, I need to take this in the back and perform a Tracing Charm, but then I'll be ready" she said standing up and picking up the huge pile of books.

"Why a Tracing Charm?"

"The person the books are for has an extreme allergy to a substance used in older versions of printing." she said matter-of-factly.

"Ah I see" he grinned at her and helped her spread the books out over a large table.

" _Monstrare_ _Argenteus_" she murmured softly. She watched as a blue light engulfed the books. The ones that absorbed the light didn't contain silver, and she set them to one side. She extinguished the faint blue glow one the others and set them in a pile to be returned to the shelves. 

"Silver, someone is allergic to silver?" Oliver asked quietly.

"You remember that charm?" she looked up at him.

"No but I speak Latin remember" 

"Oh right" she gathered her other bags and took the books to the clerk. She ended up buying several first editions, including _The Completed Works of William Shakespeare_, _Great Expectations_ by Charles Dickens, and _The Three Musketeers _by Alexandre Dumas. 

"That's a very wide selection you've got there, Miss" the clerk said as he handed her her change. 

"Yeah, but they're all favorites of the man I love. How often can you find signed copies of anything by Dickens" she smiled.

"That's very true. Happy Christmas" the clerk said.

"Happy Christmas to you as well" she said as she exited the store and met Oliver on the street. 

"Ready?" he asked her.

"Yes, Thank You for helping me carry all that by the way."

"You're quite welcome."

Jessi and Oliver talked amicably as they made their way back towards the Leaky Cauldron. When they got there Oliver talked her into joining him for a butterbeer. The sat talking and laughing about old memories and happy times they'd shared. 

The next few days flew by in a whirl of Christmas activity. She spent the day after her shopping trip wrapping presents. She waded through all of the books, papers, and gadgets Toby brought for her to send to Harry. Jessi set the golden translator necklace and bracelet set she'd gotten Hermione in a charmed box to protect it. She laid Ron's gift aside waiting for Oliver to owl her back the Quaffle she'd sent with him. She Wrapped Remus' books carefully attaching a note telling him she loved him and she'd see him on New Years. 

The Christmas Holidays passed uneventfully for Jessi. She went to the Quidditch League Ball with Oliver and got home in the early hours of the morning because they'd gone up to St. James Park, in muggle London, to watch the sunrise. She'd spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day with her family, and thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. The weeks between Christmas and New Years slipped past and Jessi's anticipation mounted with each passing day. 

New Years Eve day dawned clear and cold in London. Jessi spent the day with her Grandmother alternately talking about the Christmas Ball she'd gone to and all of the things she had to tell Remus. In the early afternoon she left her Grandmother and went to her own room to get ready. 

Jessi spent the entire afternoon getting ready. She wanted tonight to be perfect. As of Tonight she was no longer a Hogwarts student, at least for the next three months, and she could openly see Remus. She spent two straight hours in her closet trying on everything she owned before selecting a black silk skirt and matching top. She was sitting in front of her bedroom mirror putting on her jewelry when her mother came in. 

"Jessica don't you think you are slightly over dressed for one of your father's business dinners?" her mother asked smirking evilly at her.

"Daddy isn't having a dinner party tonight, and even if he was he said weeks ago I could go to the Weasely's " she answered calmly fastening the clasp of her necklace. 

"Your father is having a business dinner tonight and you are going to attend young lady" her mother said sternly before turning on her heel and leaving the room.

"Uh" she stared dumbfounded after her mother. _This cannot be happening I have to see Remus tonight, _she thought to herself as she left the room to go see her father. She entered his office slowly. She was only slightly surprised when she saw several of her father's business associates, including Lucius Malfoy. "Daddy could I talk to you, please?" she asked sweetly.

"Child don't you know it's rude to interrupt business?" Lucius sneered at her. 

"Please?" she asked her father quietly ignoring Malfoy. 

"Jessica, you know better than to interrupt and where are you manners?" her father asked sternly. 

"I'm sorry" she said numbly. She turned to Lucius and curtsied slightly "Good evening Mr. Malfoy" she turned back to her father. "Daddy please I know your busy, Mother says I can't go to…."

"Jessica, If your mother said no you have to stay here" he said interrupting her "I will not undermine her"

"But you already said I could go before…..doesn't that mean she's undermining you?" Jessi asked logically.

"Jessica you are staying here end of discussion." his tone left no room for argument. 

Jessi turned on her heel and stomped up the stairs to her room. She had to talk to Remus. If she couldn't go she could at least make a Floo call. She grabbed her bowl of Floo Powder and through some in. Nothing happened. Her fireplace had been disconnected. She cried out in frustration. And threw a glass water goblet against the wall. 

Jessi refused to go down to her parents party that night. She spent the evening curled up in bed sobbing. She was barely coherent when her grandmother came in and sat next to her rubbing her back softly as she sobbed herself to sleep.

Across England in Ottery St. Catchpole Remus sat glumly outside of the Burrow. He heard the countdown to midnight start. When midnight hit he cursed silently. He'd always known in the back of his head she couldn't really love him. His suspicions had been confirmed recently when he'd seen her in the Leaky Cauldron with Oliver Wood. He cursed again and apparated to Hogsmeade and the Three Broomsticks. At least there he could get properly smashed. 


	11. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Ch. 11 A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.

A/N: Ok. Here's the next chapter. I had a really hard time writing some of this because I didn't want parts of it to happen, but we all know how that is we really don't have a choice. Ok so on with the show.

Oh wait Disclaimer first. I don't own Harry Potter or anything else you recognize. If you don't recognize it, it may very well be mine.

The first week of January passed unnoticed. Jessi and Padma found a two-bedroom flat on Ringling Alley, a small residential area squished in behind Diagon Alley. They moved in and soon began their classes at St. Mungo's. 

Classes at St. Mungo's were very similar to those the attended at Hogwarts. They still attended Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Charms, though everything was based in healing. They also added Anatomy and Physiology as well as Basic Healing. Jessi and Padma avoid Blaise at all costs, they did however begin to become close with two of the students from Beauxbatons, Brian Henderson and Camille Dulcis.

Jessi owled Remus nearly everyday. She didn't worry to much when he didn't owl her back right away, she figured he was overly busy, but when the letters started to come back unopened she was shocked. February 13th Jessi was sitting in the living room working on an essay on the properties of aconite when Padma came in holding a wrapped box.

"Jess…do you know anything about this? There's no card or anything" Padma asked.

"I sent that to Remus day's ago…I can't believe he sent it back" she stammered, stunned.

"Jessi, you don't look so good" Padma sat down across from Jessi looking at her worriedly.

"Padma, I…." she didn't finish her sentence she just calmly got up and walked into her room. She curled up on her bed and began to sob quietly.

The next morning Padma knocked softly on Jessi's door and threw a pillow at her to wake her up. She sat up and gazed out the window at the rain pouring down outside. _Good,_ she thought _at least the weather matches my mood. _ She flopped back down and pulled her blanket over her head, calling that she wasn't feeling well and was staying home to Padma. Once she heard her flat mate leave, she sat up and continued to watch the rain.

Jessi finally climbed out of bed. She dressed slowly, cast a charm to keep herself dry, and headed for Diagon Alley. She wandered aimlessly through the shops, finally settling herself with a book at Florean Fortescue's. She read quietly, until the rain started to lighten. 

Jessi slipped her book back into her bag and left the ice cream parlor. She was about to head home, when she saw a flash of familiar sandy hair down the street a bit. She dashed towards Remus calling.

"Remus…would you wait" Jessi called exasperatedly, finally catching up and touching his shoulder lightly. When he turned around it wasn't Remus.

"Excuse me Miss, Do I know you" the stranger asked

"No, I'm so sorry I thought you were someone else" she said apologetically.

Jessi turned and started to head home again. She only made it as far as the Magical Menagerie before sinking onto a bench with her head in her hands. She began to cry softly not noticing when it started to rain again. 

"Jessi, What happened? What's wrong?" she heard a voice asked.

"It's…" she stopped her reply when she saw Oliver standing in front of her looking very dry under his umbrella.

"Come on You can tell me" he coaxed gently, taking her hand and pulling her up off the bench so she was under the umbrella.

"I miss him so much Oliver and…." she began to cry again.

"Shhh…it'll be alright" he wrapped his free arm around her waist "Come on back to the Leaky Cauldron with me. We'll talk there where it's warm, after we get you dry."

Jessi nodded numbly and let Oliver lead her back. When they got there she heard him order drinks and food to be sent up and then let herself be led upstairs. Oliver preformed a quick drying charm, followed by a warming charm before sitting on the end of the bed and pulling her into his lap.

"Ok, What's wrong?" he said softly.

"I miss Remus terribly." she sobbed.

"Ah, so Lupin is the new man in your life" he said resting his chin on top of her head. "What else, it can't be just that you'd have gone to see him already."

"He won't return my owls, or he does but they're unopened. He won't take my Floo calls. I know he's angry but it hurts so much." she cried softly burying her head into his shoulder. "He sent back the chocolate I sent him, he never turns down chocolate. Ever" she continued to cry softly,

"It'll be alright" he said soothingly rocking her as she cried. He waved the bellboy in and directed him to set up at a table in the corner. He looked down at her, she seemed to be wasting away and she had large dark circles under her eyes. "Jess, when was the last time you ate anything?"

"I don't know, I'm sure I ate at some point yesterday" she said though her answer was muffled by his shoulder.

"When was the last time you slept?" 

"I don't remember" she said looking up at him.

"Well those two things we can take care of now." he said leading her over to the table. "Eat." he said with finality 

Jessi stared down at the plate then looked back up at Oliver. He'd taken a seat across from her and was contemplating his own meal. "Thank You" she said softly, before she began eating. They sat silently eating.

"Here" Oliver said handing her an oversized t-shirt, when they were done eating. "Change and get some sleep. I have something to take care of but I'll be back."

"Thank You." she nodded heading toward the bathroom. She changed slowly, surveying her reflection in the mirror, she sighed softly folding her still semi-damp robes, and exited the bathroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and smiled weakly at Oliver who was stoking the fire. "Thank You again Oliver"

"It's not a problem" he said crossing over to her. "Now, get in that bed and sleep." he said with a mock sternness.

"Yes, sir" she laughed softly. She climbed into the bed and leaned back against the pillows. "Oliver?….Why are you here?"

"What do you mean?" he asked sitting on the edge of the bed facing her.

"Here, with me on Valentine's Day, I mean what about your plans." she asked seriously.

"I wasn't exactly looking for you earlier. I didn't have plans today. I'm not exactly a fan of Valentine's Day you know." he said softly.

"I know" she slipped her hand into his. "You've been so great this afternoon, and I know this is your least favorite day." she sat up and hugged him

"Can we not talk about this please?" he asked softly, resting his head on her shoulder.

"Yeah, you had to go anyway didn't you?" she sat back against the pillows.

"Mmmhmmm" he smirked at her.

"What? And Don't give me that look" she said rolling her eyes.

"What look? I don't know what you're talking about." he said fakely innocent.

"That 'I'm up to something' look"

"What are you up to?" he asked shocked.

"Not me you" she smiled, pushing his shoulder.

"Me? I'm up to something? You're nutty" he said tickling her.

"I….am….not" Jessi spit out giggling. She scrambled to get away from him but he caught her and pinned her underneath him. Oliver smiled down at her and she smiled back. They were so close she could feel his breath on her face. He leaned in closely and kissed her. 

"Oliver…" she whispered softly. 

Oliver kissed her hungrily, his hands slipping beneath the thin material of the t-shirt. He felt Jessi respond almost immediately slinking her arms around him. He began to push the shirt up slowly his thumbs grazing her sides as he went.

"Oliver, Wait" Jessi said suddenly pulling away from him. She slid out from under him drawing her knees to her chest.

"What is it?" he said with a soft groan. Collapsing face down on the bed.

"We can't do this, it isn't right" she murmured.

"What makes it wrong, Jess" he turned his head to look at her.

"I'm with Remus. I love him. That in itself is enough." she said softly "Add to that, the fact that it's Valentine's Day, and you're always over emotional because today is when Ellie left you."

"We're not talking about Ellie" he said

"Yes, Oliver, we are. I know she hurt you when she left you. She was your first love and what she did was rotten. She left you at the alter, and I know it still hurts, but you can't draw into a hole every Valentine's. Do you realize that today was the nicest Valentine's Day we ever had together? We aren't even together." 

"Merlin, I'm so sorry Jessi, You were upset and I took advantage of that, I'm so so sorry" he said sitting up.

"It's ok, we were both upset, and it didn't really go anywhere" 

"Thank Merlin for that" he said continuing quickly when she shot him a glare. "Sweetheart when were together I would have jumped at the chance for what just nearly happened to have happened. But I don't know what I'd do if I was responsible for the demise of your relationship with Remus."

"I think it's about time for me to leave. Padma will be getting back soon, I'm supposed to be sick in bed." she said with a small laugh.

"Alright. When you're ready I'll walk you." 

Jessi climbed out of the bed and hurried into the bathroom. She re-donned her robes and slipped her shoes on. She pulled her hair into a ponytail as she left the bathroom. She smiled at Oliver who was sitting at the desk, writing. "Are you ready to go?" she asked 

"Yup let's go." he said leading her down the stairs.

They ambled slowly back towards Ringling Alley. They stopped several times, so Oliver could autograph things for fans. They also stopped once at the stationary store because Jessi saw embellished parchment she just had to have, but they left without it anyway because she started to get teary-eyed at the thought of Remus not writing back. When the finally reached her flat the stopped just outside the door.

"Thank You Jessi" Oliver said smiling.

"What for? You picked me up off the street remember, I didn't do anything for you." she said quizzically.

"Yes, you did. You made me realize I can't live my life in the past. I can't spend every February 14th trying to drown myself with Firewhiskey" he stated.

"Is that where you were headed earlier?"

"Yeah, so thanks"

"Thank you to you too" she said quietly before hugging him.

"No problem" he kissed her softly on the forehead. Just as he was about to pull away there was a bright flash off to the side and someone apparated away. "Damn fanatics" he muttered.

"You know you love it" she laughed 

"Yeah you're right, I do. I'll call you later and see how you're doing ok?"

"Sure, I'll talk to you later Oliver" she slipped into her flat hoping Padma wasn't back yet. Jessi let up a sigh of relief when she saw her flat mate wasn't there. She sat on the couch and began a rather long owl to Remus. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning Remus Lupin was sitting at the staff table at Hogwart's, gloomily stabbing his eggs with his fork. He missed Jessi terribly but didn't have any intention of reading any of her owls, he knew that they all probably contained the words that would break his heart. _I don't love you Remus. _Remus knew he'd be unable to keep his emotions in check when he read those words, written in her familiar small loopy hand-writing.

"Can you believe it, Jessi and Oliver are back together, I always knew they were meant to be together." he heard Lavender Brown tell Mandy Brocklehurst and Parvati Patil "It's all over the _Prophet _this morning." 

"It's all so terribly romantic" Parvati gushed as they walked by.

Remus snatched his copy of the _Daily Prophet _up off the table if front of him. He'd set it aside when it had come not really caring about what it said until now. There it was right on the front page. Jessi locked in Oliver's arms, kissing him passionately. He growled lowly slamming the paper down on the table, drawing the attention of his fellow Professors. 

"Albus, I'll need someone to watch my classes today, or I'll cancel them. I have something personal to take care of." he said shortly, turning to face the Headmaster.

"It will be taken care of Remus" Dumbledore said , nodding knowingly at him. 

Remus got up and stormed out of the Great Hall. Everyone who passed him in the hall saw that his usually serene blue eyes had turned a slightly yellowish color and were flashing angrily. When he reached his office he stormed in slamming the door so hard behind him it splintered. He scanned his office quickly for something to break. When he didn't find anything he threw his fist into the cold stone wall, and then kicked his bookcase to bits just for good measure. 

When he was done he was still seething with anger. He Flooed quickly to the Three Broomsticks and then quickly apparated to Ringling Alley. He ran the whole way to her the flat he seen her enter with Padma in the pictures, the two had sent to Hogwarts. He pounded on the door when he got there, and was taken by surprise when Jessi opened the door in her pajamas, holding a cup of tea.

"Remus?" she asked shocked, nearly dropping her cup.

"Hello Jessica" he bit out glaring at her.

"W-What are you doing here? Don't You have classes?" she asked confused.

"Dumbledore took my classes for the day" he snapped "And are you going to make me stand out you front step all bloody day?"

"No, I'm just surprised to see you here. I don't think Padma is around, or she's still asleep, we don't have classes today" she stepped out of the doorway letting him in.

"I don't give a damn if Padma is here or not."

"Oh, You're bleeding" she said softly, running her thumb lightly over his knuckles. "What happened? I'll get a bandage." she said quickly turning to head into the kitchen.

"I don't need you to heal me" he said coldly, clamping his hand around her wrist to stop her.

"Remus?" she looked at him worriedly, noticing his eye for the first time "What's wrong? Why are you so angry…this certainly can't still be about New Year's which I can fully explain…"

Remus cut her off when he hauled her against him and crushed his lips to hers. He held her tightly his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her wrist, while his other arm was clamped around her waist. He kissed her savagely ,pouring all of his anger and hurt from the previous weeks into it. His tongue forced its way into her mouth and he continued to attack her lips until she whimpered softly and they were both gasping for air.

"Tell me Oliver Wood makes you feel this way" he said angrily. letting go of her wrist.

"Tell you , that…WHAT?" she looked up at him shocked. "H-How?" she stumbled over the question as she slumped onto the couch.

"It's front page news in the _Prophet_, did you think I wouldn't find out?"

"T-t-that _Prophet_?" she stammered. "Oh Merlin" she hopped up off the couch and bolted into the kitchen. She didn't know if Remus followed or not. She sighed with relief when she saw the paper sitting on the counter. She stalked over and picked it up groaning when she saw the photo of Oliver and herself on the front page. She picked up the paper and turned quickly to go back into the living room, she gasped slightly when she came up against Remus' chest.

"You don't look surprised, _love_" he spat the last word like venom.

"Surprised no not really" she said calmly.

"You could have told me the truth Jessica"

"First don't call me that" she shuddered visibly at the sound of her full name on his lips. "Second, I knew that someone took a picture of Oliver and I yesterday, however that is most certainly not the picture they took."

"What are you talking about?" he snapped.

"I'm talking about the fact that I was at Diagon Alley yesterday. Depressed because you returned _another _of my owls unopened."

"Yeah I want to read in a letter that you've changed your mind about us"

"Would you stop interrupting or do you not want to hear this" she snapped. "And have I ever given you any indication that I didn't love you?"

"A picture is worth a thousand words" he snapped.

"Ok…I'm telling this story and you're shutting up" she said pushing past him into the living room.

"Fine but this better be damn good Jessica" he muttered, following her.

"I told you not to call me that" she said as she perched herself on an arm of the couch. "Now shut up and listen. I was in Diagon Alley yesterday, missing you like mad, I thought I saw you but I was wrong, so there I was sitting all alone in the middle of Diagon Alley in the rain, balling my eyes out and up comes Oliver, We went back to the Leaky Cauldron and he made me eat something, we talked for a bit and he held me while I cried some more, and then her brought me back here" _And I'll just leave out the fact that we snogged after we ate._

"Where you proceeded to snog him senseless in gratitude." Remus snapped.

"Wrong." she said chucking a pillow at his head, which he promptly caught "Where he kissed my forehead, the same way my _brother _does, and some reporter took a picture. Pictures can be doctored you know"

"You can look me in the eye and tell me you didn't kiss Oliver Wood yesterday." he said seriously.

"I.." she looked at him seriously. "No I can't I won't lie to you"

"You already did." he said shortly getting up and heading toward the door.

"No I didn't, not really" she moved in between him and the door. "I told you I didn't kiss Oliver like that in that picture"

"Does it really make a difference when it was. Yesterday was Valentine's Day Jessi, you should have been with me not him." he said glaring at her.

"Yes I should have been, and had you given me any indication you wanted me there I would have been there faster than you can say Hogwarts, but you didn't. You send my owls back unopened, You won't take my Floo calls….."

"And that makes it ok for you to turn to someone else?" he said sadly.

"I did not turn to someone else" she seethed. "He was there when I needed him. We kissed once maybe twice, but you know what I was thinking the whole time? That I wished I was with you." she turned away from him. 

"This hasn't been the first time you have turned to Wood is it? I saw you those few days before Christmas with him in the Leaky Cauldron. The two of you looked like you didn't have a care in the world."

"Were you spying on me? I happened to run into Oliver in a muggle bookstore that day. Until then I hadn't seen him for nearly a year" she said coolly.

"I was not spying on you, this is a free country. I stopped in the Leaky Cauldron after I finished my shopping" he snapped.

"I hate to tell you this, but this is _not _a free country. It's a monarchy. You know ruled by a King and Queen." she said sarcastically.

"I realize that Jessica" he said coldly.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT" she screamed at the top of her lungs. 

"Would you stop you're bloody screaming. You make it seem like I'm the one who turned to Wood." Remus said coldly.

"Don't curse at me. I'll scream if I want it's _my _flat, and for the LAST time, I didn't turn to Oliver. Not that you'll ever believe me. You never believed a word I say." Jessi's voice dropped slightly but was still raised. 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean" he snapped. 

"Nothing absolutely Nothing" she said muttered.

Remus was about to reply when a black barn owl landed on the window. He saw Jessi shudder visibly as she moved to the window. She shook her head telling the bird to go away. When it didn't she opened the window and cursed softly when the bird pecked her hard enough to draw blood.

"Hello Longfellow" she muttered to the bird. "What now?" The bird dropped a red. slightly smoking envelope before pecking Jessi again and flying out the window.

"You should open that before it explodes." Remus said smirking.

"I know that….."she spoke softly, opening the envelope warily.

"JESSICA ANNE CARMICHAEL!!" her mother's high pitched voice screeched through the flat. "HOW COULD YOU DISGRACE YOUR FAMILY LIKE THIS? YOU ALWAYS WERE A WORTHLESS, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING CHILD AND FROM THE PICTURE IN THE PAPER THIS MORNING IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE TURNED INTO A WORTHLESS GOOD-FOR-NOTHING WHORE. I HOPE YOUR PLEASED WITH YOURSELF." When the screeching stopped the letter burst into flames, landing on the living room coffee table. 

Jessi sank slowly onto the couch. She was staring blankly at the slight burn mark on the table. She drew her knees up to her chest resting her head on them, crying softly.

"Apparently someone else isn't very happy with you" Remus said sardonically.

"Oh, sod off" she muttered not looking up.

"Who was that from?" he asked.

"My psychotic mother." she whispered, wiping her eyes. 

"Well, It's probably good she found out about you and Wood. I'm sure she'd rather you with a Quidditch Player than a monster." he muttered depreciatively.

"Remus you are not a monster."

"Oh really?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Really" she said plainly. 

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Remus, you're an incredible person with a kind heart, who happens to turn into a wolf once a month. It isn't something you can help, and it doesn't change who you are."

"That would be a lot more convincing if I thought you actually cared."

"That isn't fair, Remus, saying I don't care about you. That's just plain unfair of you."

"You haven't exactly been fair either." he snapped.

"What do you mean by that? What exactly do you think happened?" she asked seriously.

"I think you slept with Wood and just aren't telling me" he spat his accusation at her.

"If I wanted to sleep with Oliver don't you think I would have done it when we were actually dating? Not when I was with someone else?" she asked her voice rising slightly.

"How do I know you didn't sleep with him when you were dating?" he asked harshly.

Jessi didn't answer him immediately, she just sat there staring at him. Her eyes and voice filled with pain as she stood up. She spoke her voice barely above a whisper. "I cannot believe you would say that." Her voice caught in her throat and raised a bit "You of all people should know that until the night of the Yule Ball I was a virgin." she didn't give him a chance to respond but turned and fled to her room locking the door behind her.

Remus stared after her dumbfounded. He'd had know clue. He walked quickly to the door she'd gone through and tried to open it finding it locked. He knocked softly. "Jessi?"

"Go away" her muffled voice came through the door.

"No, I won't go away. Now open the bloody door." he said getting slightly annoyed.

"I said go away"

"Fine , I'm coming in" he pulled out his wand and unlocked the door. He entered the room quietly, and stood at the end of her bed. He thought the room fitted her perfectly. It was done in shades of blue, purple, and green. The furniture was all made of a light colored wood and the softly flowing curtains on the windows and around the bed gave the room a clean flowing feeling. "Were you really?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I was" she said through her tears, turning to look at him. 

"Jessi, I'm sorry if I'd known…''he moved to the side of the bed she was sitting on.

"No, don't. Don't let that **_small _**revelation change your opinion of me. I mean I wouldn't want the TRUTH to actually convince you I'm not the whore you think I am." she hung her head, softly crying. "Goodbye Remus." with that small goodbye she apparated with a soft pop. 

"Bloody Hell" Remus roared as she left. He sunk to his knees, burying his hands in his hair. He knew he'd hurt her, and that he'd said things he shouldn't. His breath came in heavy shallow spurts and he sat on the floor of her room cursing and berating himself. He couldn't take the pain, the uncertainty of this anymore. He had to talk to her. "But where in the hell did she go?" he said softly to himself. He had no clue. He did know exactly who to ask though. 

He apparated quickly to Hogsmeade and jogged up to the school. He tore through the hallways, nearly knocking Snape over, on his way towards the Heads rooms. He pounded on the door frantically, when Harry answered the door finally he hugged him and asked to come in. "I need to talk to Hermione" he said quickly.

"Alright, I'll get her, there's tea over there if you want some" Harry said warily, as he walked away from Remus. When he returned with Hermione, Remus nearly jumped for joy.

"What is it Professor?" Hermione asked sitting down in a chair across from him.

"Where would Jessi go if she wanted to hide from everyone, including me, the one place she thinks no one can find her." he asked bluntly.

"Well I'm not really sure Remus" she said quietly, looking between Remus and Harry who was standing behind her. 

"Hermione please?" Remus pleaded.

"Why would she hide from you anyway?" Harry asked.

"I said some things I shouldn't have" Remus said quietly. "Please, Hermione, I have to find her." he pleaded again.

"I don't know, if she wants to hide from you I really shouldn't tell you" Hermione was torn, should she tell him or keep Jessi's secret.

"Please Hermione, I'm begging you, If I put this off for to long she may never forgive me" 

"She might not forgive you now, depending on what you said." Harry snapped.

"What is your problem Harry? If you have something to say just bloody say it" Remus said looking over Hermione's head.

"If you hurt her……"Harry didn't finish the sentence just let the veiled threat hang.

"I already did, and it's killing me. That's why I need to find her" Remus said not meeting either Harry or Hermione's eyes.

"Her Aunts" Hermione said quietly. "She'd go to her Aunt Carlene's in Southampton." 

"Thank You Hermione, Thank You" he jumped up and ran out of the room before Harry or Hermione could respond.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jessi apparated onto he cliffs of Southampton, in front of a large gray stone house. She hurried towards the door stumbling slightly as her vision blurred. She reached the door just as the rain started to pour. She knocked on the door softly, dashing her tears with the back of her hand. 

"Jessi, sweetheart what's wrong?" a woman in her early thirties, with straight black hair and green eyes answered the door. 

"Aunt Carlene" she started crying again as her aunt wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lead her into the house.

"Come on in out of the rain. Are you still in your Pajamas? What happened?" Carlene Clearwater fired off rapid questions as she lead her sobbing niece into the house.

"You haven't seen the paper today yet have you?" Jessi sobbed. 

"No, I can't say I have, Daniel usually takes it with him to work in the morning. Why don't you run up to Penny's room and change into dry cloths, I'll make tea and then you can tell me what has you so upset."

"Thank You" she said softly to her aunt. She slipped quietly up the kitchens stairs to her cousin Penelope's room. She opened the door softly and smiled at all the purple, _Some things never change_, she thought to herself as she moved to the closet. Since Penelope had just recently married Charlie Weasley the selection in the closet was sparse, Jessi selected a pair of jeans and a white, long-sleeved shirt with the words 'Hogwarts Quidditch' emblazoned in blue across the front. She dressed quickly and ran her fingers through her matted hair. She left the room feeling slightly better, she was about to go back down the stairs when she heard a small cry. She back stepped quickly and entered a dimly lit nursery.

"Lauren? Are you ok?" she asked softly reaching for the light switch.

"Jessi" she didn't have time to answer before a small, trembling, raven haired child threw her arms around Jessi's leg. Jessi scooped the small girl up holding her close.

"It's ok Lauren. Shhh….tell me what happened." she soothed the small girl planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"I h-h-had a bad dream" the child whimpered.

"Ok, Shhh don't cry, let's go down stairs I think your mum is making tea." she rocked Lauren softly as she went down the stairs.

"What happened?" Carlene asked when she saw her four year-old daughters tear streaked face.

"Bad Dream" Jessi said quietly.

"Oh, Lauren sweetheart, Come here" Carlene held her arms out and the little girl snuggled into her mothers arms her crying slowly subsiding. "This has been happening a lot lately, she wakes up hysterical and won't tell us why other than she had a bad dream." she said worriedly.

"That is unusual, have you thought about taking her to a mind reader?" Jessi asked as she pulled the whistling teakettle off the stove.

"She's to young the won't see her till she's five" Carlene flattened her daughters hair as she slept. "She should be ok for now, she won't remember whatever it is when she wakes up again. Here why don't you take her and I'll pour the tea." 

"Sure" Jessi took the sleeping child and settled into a chair at the table listening to her aunt talk as she prepared the tea. When Carlene sat back down she looked at Jessi seriously.

"Ok now, What happened? Why were you crying?"

" Everything is so messed up" Jessi said quietly willing herself not to cry.

"What's everything, munchkin, be more specific." 

Jessi launched carefully into the story. She told her aunt everything, from the first moment on the train , their first kiss, the night of the Yule Ball, her last words to Remus before she'd shown up at the door, not leaving out a single detail. When she was finished she was crying softly.

"Oh, Munchkin" Carlene moved around the table pulling her niece into her arms. "We'll figure something out."

"I don't know if he'll ever speak to me again…..I wouldn't blame him"

"I'm sure he'll speak to you" Carlene said softly. She looked up when she heard a knock on the door. "I'll get that and be right back" she walked quickly to the front door, pulling it open. She gasped in shock when she saw a drenched Remus standing there. "Well speak of the devil, it's been awhile Remus, I assume you want to see my niece?"

"Hello Carlene" Remus said softly. "Yes, I'm here for Jessi"

"Remus, I'll let you in, but if you make her cry again…" Carlene warned quietly.

"I won't, I'll do everything in my power to see that she never has a reason to cry" Remus said quickly, he'd gone extremely pale.

"Fine, come in then, I'll go get Jessi" 

"You don't have to come get me. I'm right here" Jessi said from the kitchen doorway, Lauren balanced on her hip. "How did you find me Remus?"

"It isn't important Jessi" Remus said stepping in from outside.

"It's important to me." she said softly.

"Hermione" he said simply "I nearly got down on my knees and begged her to tell me where you'd go"

"I see" Jessi said with a small nod.

"I'm going to take Lauren back up to the nursery, Call if you need anything" Carlene said, taking Lauren and disappearing into the kitchen.

"Jessi" Remus crossed the room quickly "I'm so sorry. I never should have accused you of anything."

"No you shouldn't have" she answered not meeting his eyes. " I need you to trust me. I've never given you a reason not to."

" No you haven't, except…" he trailed off.

"Except what?" she asked quietly.

"I hate to bring this up but you did admit to kissing Wood in his hotel room" Remus answered quietly. 

"I did, because I didn't want to lie to you."

"Jessi, Do you want to go back to being with Wood?" he asked his eyes clouded over with pain.

"No, that's ridiculous." she looked up at him seriously. 

"Is it….ridiculous I mean." he asked

"Even if I wasn't in love with you I wouldn't go back to Oliver. Ever"

"Y-y-y-you love me?" he stammered carefully.

"Of course I Love you. I already told you that. You're the one who never believed it." She said with a slight smile.

"Just hearing you say that…if I died right now I'd die the happiest man on earth." he smiled and kissed her softly.

"If you die on me I'll kill you" she murmured softly against his lips.

"But I'd already be dead" he joked.

"Then I'd bring you back to life and kill you again" she smiled and laughed softly.

"I've missed you Jessi. I love you more than you could ever possibly know. " he whispered against her lips before kissing her again

Carlene couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted when she reached the landing above the Drawing Room. Her niece was situated in Remus' lap, their foreheads resting against each other, fingers laced together talking lowly. She continued her way into the room setting a now very awake Lauren on the floor. "I'm glad you two have patched things up" she said smiling at them.

"Hello Again, Carlene" Remus said looking over his shoulder at her.

"Remus, munchkin, I think…." 

"JESSI" Carlene was cut off abruptly when Lauren caught sight of her cousin and ran over.

"Hi Lauren, did you have a good nap?" Jessi asked smiling.

"Yes" Lauren stopped midway to Jessi looking at Remus warily. "I don't like him." she said pointing to Remus and taking a step back.

"That's not very nice Laur, you don't even know him." Jessi said reasonably, glancing up at Remus with a small shrug.

"He made you cry. I don't like him" Lauren glared at Remus.

"Lauren, when was I crying?" Jessi asked carefully.

"When you came into my room earlier, after my bad dream" she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

"You remember that?" Carlene asked shocked.

"Yes, mummy"

"Lauren come here sweetie." Jessi said motioning Lauren forward.

"huh uh" Lauren shock her head emphatically.

"Yes huh" Jessi grinned at her.

"Ok" Lauren rushed forward, and climbed into Jessi's lap. "I still don't like him"

"Well I like him lots" Jessi said ruffling Lauren's hair.

"Does he belong to you?" Lauren asked looking between them.

"Well…"

"Yes. I belong to Jessi, now and always." Remus said cutting Jessi off. Jessi smiled and buried her head in his shoulder momentarily before looking back at Lauren.

"If he belongs to you then I like him" Lauren said smiling at Remus and planting a wet kiss on his cheek.

They spent the rest of the afternoon in the Drawing Room talking and laughing. When the rain stopped Jessi and Remus took Lauren outside while Carlene took a Floo call from Penelope. They sat in the late afternoon light, looking out over the ocean, eventually Lauren came and nestled into Jessi's lap and fell asleep. Jessi and Remus sat for a while longer before Carlene came out. They said their good byes and both apparated back to Jessi's flat. 

Jessi unlocked the door of the darkened flat and pulled Remus in behind her. She giggled softly as she turned to face him. She slid her arms around his neck kissing him. "Ah Ah" she said as he tried to turn on the lights.

"Jessi…" he groan , tightening his arms around her waist.

"Shhh…You'll wake Padma up" Jessi giggled into his neck.

"We'll have to take up quieter pursuits then won't we" he moved to the couch taking her with him. He situated both Jessi and himself carefully as he captured her lips.

The fire in the fireplace threw gentle orange light across the room, but neither Remus or Jessi noticed. They were lost to the world. Knowing only each other. Tentative touches, explorative tastes, the kind know only to new lovers, progressed to fervent kisses and passionate strokes. 

At some point they moved into the bedroom. Dropping their clothing haphazardly on the floor as the tumbled into the bed. They moved together. Slowly at first, the speed and intensity slowly building. When they both collapsed breathing heavily, Jessi curled against Remus' side her head resting on his shoulder. Remus drew his arms tighter around her. They clung to each other softly. Each praying for morning to be kept at bay. Hoping against hope to remain in their secluded world. 

A/N: Ok Ya'll Click it and send a review. -- WaterLili


	12. Snapshots of a Relationship

Ch. 12 Snapshots of a Relationship

__

You make sick   
I want you and I'm hatin' it   
Got me lit up like a candlestick   
Get too hot when you touch the tip   
I'm feeling it, I gotta get a grip on this   
Driving me crazy baby don't you quit   
Can't get enough of it   
You got me going again   
Baby you got me going again   
You make sick 

Jessi rolled over and threw the alarm clock against the wall cutting the song off abruptly. She pulled the blanket back up over her head and turned over onto her back. She smiled when she felt Remus' arm snake around her waist. 

"Good Morning" he whisper softly against her ear.

"Good Morning to you too." she said kissing him lightly, running her fingers over his bare chest.

"If you don't stop that neither of us is going to make it out of bed today" he murmured nuzzling her neck. 

"Yes, and you're being so helpful.." she was cut off by a knock on the door.

"Jessi…are you awake." Padma's voice came from the other side of the door.

" Mmmhmmm…Hold on a minute." she quickly banished Remus' clothing to the bathroom, and flicked the door shut. "Ok"

"Hey I was just wondering if you were coming to Potions this morning?" Padma questioned, eyeing the lump under Jessi's blanket suspiciously. "And what is that?"

"Yes, I'm going to Potions, and this" she poked the Remus lump "Is a bunch of conjured pillows."

"Why did you conjure pillows?"

"Because I missed Remus Terri.." her voice caught in her throat and her sucked in a deep breath when she felt Remus' teeth graze her stomach. "Because I miss Remus terribly" she squeaked out.

"Ok, You should really go see him soon Jess."

"I know" Jessi answered trying to keep a straight face.

"Anyway, Coffee is in the kitchen, I have to go talk to Professor Clarkson about our last test in Magical Medicine. So I'll see you for class" Padma said heading out of Jessi's room. 

As soon as Padma was gone, Jessi let out a heavy breath, moaning slightly. "You are pure evil, Remus Lupin, pure evil."

"But I thought you missed me terribly" he asked mockingly before kissing her. 

"I did, till I saw you. But you're here. So how can I miss you?" she questioned breathlessly.

"We should really get a move on. I have to go back to Hogwarts and you have Potions was it?" he asked kissing her shoulder.

"Mmmhmmm. I wish we could stay here." she slid closer to him as she spoke. 

"Me too, Love, Me too" he held her close and kissed the top of her head. 

They laid there, kissing and cuddling, for awhile longer. Jessi finally climbed out of bed stating the need for a shower and coffee. She showered quickly and slipped into the kitchen as Remus entered the bathroom. She was pulling toast out when Remus came into the kitchen.

"A gourmet chef I see" he said eyeing the burnt toast.

"Oh sod off." she threw the toast at him and sipped her coffee.

"That's a lovely way to treat a guest."

"Make your own bloody toast. I never said I could cook."

"I really have to go anyway." he said quietly.

Remus approached her slowly wrapping his arms around her waist. He smiled when she slid her arms around his neck and held him close. He bent his head, resting his chin on top of her head, he breathed deeply.

"It won't be so bad this time, right?" Jessi asked quietly. 

"No, it won't. We'll owl, and I'll see you here, and you'll come to Hogsmeade. And it's really only 2 months and a couple of days. You come back the second week of May right?" 

"Yeah. Then we come back to review for N.E.W.Ts" she breathed deeply, tightening her arms, wishing he could stay. 

"I have to go Jess, I don't want to but I have to." he captured her lips, kissing her tenderly.

"I love you." she said quietly.

"I love you too." he kissed her again and disapparated. 

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The last weekend in February, Jessi apparated up to Hogsmeade and met Remus in the Three Broomsticks. She sat at a table near the back of the room waiting for him. She checked her watch one more time, seeing he still had five minutes before he was late. As if on cue Remus strode up to the table.

"Hello Beautiful." he said the corner of his mouth turning up into a smirk.

"Hi. How are you?" she said giving him a bright smile.

"Great now that I'm with you." he smiled and kissed her softly before sitting down across from her.

"What's with the pick up line? You already have me."

"It isn't a pick up line. It's the truth." he said smiling at her.

"Aww...that's sweet." she couldn't help but smile. The waitress came and took their order and they sat talking quietly. When they were done eating Jessi set her hands on the table, unconsciously placing them palms up. This movement caused the sleeve of her dark purple robes to catch on her watch. She slid her wrist back immediately, but Remus had already seen.

"What was that Jess?" he asked carefully.

"Oh, nothing I knocked my wrist against a door jam the other day, it's no big deal." she lied.

"Jessi…don't lie to me. I did that didn't I the day I came to your flat." he said concerned.

"Yes, but it really isn't that big of a deal" she rushed the words out.

"Not that big of a deal?…Jessi I hurt you. I let my anger get the better of me and I hurt you. I'm so so sorry. I should go." he got up and left hurriedly. Jessi sighed as she threw a couple of galleons on the table and followed him out. She dashed quickly after him.

"Remus….would you stop running away." she caught up to him and grabbed his elbow.

"Why? Why do you want me to stick around? The only thing I do is hurt you." he said coldly as he wheeled around to face her. 

"A bruise…all this over a bruise. Honestly. If the worst injury I ever get for the rest of my life I'll be lucky." she said exasperatedly.

"The people you love shouldn't hurt you in anyway." he said softly trying to turn away, but she was still holding his hands. 

"Oh, please. The people who were supposed to protect me as a child did worse damage than a bruise." 

"What are you talking about?" he asked stepping closer to him.

"My mother, you didn't think I disliked her just because she's a pain did you?" she looked away quickly then looked back at him. "See this scar here behind my ear?"

"Yeah, I noticed it the night of the Yule Ball."

"I fell through a glass table when my mother put me under the Cruciatus curse. I was five I think." Remus just stared at her shocked, as she continued. "The star shaper scar on my shoulder…that one is from when my mother pushed me down a flight of stairs on my 10th birthday. Like I said, if the worst that ever happens is a bruise I'll be lucky." she finished softly.

"Jess…" he pulled her to him holding her close, planting kisses on the top of her head. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart, I promise no one will ever hurt you again." they stood there for a few minutes, not moving or speaking. When they broke apart Jessi smiled weakly finally speaking.

"I'm sorry for ruining the mood of the day." 

"You didn't, I wish you had told me sooner though." Remus said quietly, as he took her hand.

"I meant to but it never seem to be the right time, and I didn't want you to think I was whining or anything."

"Jess…if you had told me all of that I would have never thought you were whining."

"I love you, Remus" she kissed him softly.

"I love you too, now how about we finish exploring this village." he asked. She smiled and nodded, and they continued on their way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second Monday in May saw Jessi back to Hogwarts. She immediately jumped back into her previous schedule. She spent most of her time in the Library or studying with Hermione in the Head's Lounge. She felt she was to far behind in everything, except Potions and Herbology, to pass her N.E.W.T.s. Hermione assured her she'd do fine but agreed to help her study anyway.

One evening about a week after she'd returned, Harry and Hermione were on rounds, the Common room was far to loud to study in and the Library was packed. Jessi made her way carefully to Remus' living quarters settling herself on his couch with her Transfiguration work. She read and took notes diligently for what seemed to her like hours, when her vision started to blur slightly she set her book down and took a break. She noticed for the first time that it was sweltering in the room, she got up and poked around until she found a pair of Remus' boxers (A/N: clean ones. Mind out of the gutters folks.), She changed quickly and reclaimed her spot on the couch to study. The time ticked slowly by and Jessi started to doze slightly. She looked up and smiled softly when Remus can in.

"Hi Jess" he said slightly shocked. "What are you doing in here?"

"Everywhere else was to loud or crowded to study properly. You don't mind do you?" she asked him warily, looking up from her notes.

"I don't mind at all. In fact I could quite get used to being here whenever I get back at night." he shot her a quick smile, then raised an eyebrow. "Are you wearing my boxers?"

"Yes, it was stiflingly hot in here." She said blushing slightly.

"You could have cast a cooling charm."

"To much work. This was easier." she grinned up at him.

"Riiight. You're strange, you do know that right." he sat down on the couch next to her.

"Yes, but you love me anyway."

"That's quite true." he smiled and slid closer to her. "And strange or not. You sitting there in my boxers is incredibly sexy" he murmured the last part softly, nibbling on her neck.

"Remus…." She moaned softly, turning so she was facing him.

"Shhh…." he positioned himself on top of her kissing her softly.

"Remus…" she said softly. "We can't do this right now. I have got to study ."

Remus groaned and cursed under his breath. "Alright. What are you studying anyway?" he moved, so she could sit up.

"Transfiguration. I'm still incredibly far behind. At least it feels that way."

"You'll do fine Jess. You're brilliant and you know it, I have every confidence in you." he smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"That means a lot, Now I really have to study." she kissed him quickly on the cheek before settling down to study again.

They both sat quietly, Jessi studying and Remus reading, occupied well into the night. Jessi began to dose off again, but snapped her head up when the fireplace popped. She looked at Remus warily and he shook his head signifying that it wasn't a Floo call.

"Jessi, I think you need to get some sleep." he said softly when she began to slip into sleep again.

"Mmmhmmm…I should go" she got up slowly and began to put her books back into her bag.

"Leave them." he said referring to the books. "You'll never make it back up to the Tower. You're asleep on you're feet. Come on." he placed an arm gently over her shoulders leading her into the bedroom. He shushed her when she protested, he tucked her in gently before climbing into bed beside her and falling asleep himself. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning of her Charms N.E.W.T. Jessi awoke in the Head's common room where she's been studying late with Hermione. She smiled groggily at Harry who came out of his room carrying a tray of tea and pastries.

"Morning Jessi" he said happily.

"Morning Harry, I…" she stopped speaking abruptly and bolted into Hermione's bathroom. She threw up last nights dinner and sat back on her heels, resting her head on the edge of the bathtub next to her.

"Jessi…." Hermione said from the doorway. 

"Oh, Hi Mione."

"What's wrong Jess?"

"Nothing, I think it's the lack of sleep and the not eating properly, I've been feeling sick since I got back here really." she splashed her face and rinsed her mouth out at the sink.

"Just throwing up in the morning?" Hermione asked as they walked back to where Harry had set up tea.

"No, anytime I get near food really. Plus I'm tired a lot." Jessi shrugged. "I just need to get through N.E.W.T.s"

"Jessi is there a possibility you might be…." Hermione trailed off stirring sugar and milk into her tea.

"That I might be what?" Jessi asked worriedly.

"Pregnant…I mean did you and Remus use protection?" Hermione whispered.

"Oh, Merlin…I don't know, I guess it's possible." Jessi said slumping against the back of the couch.

"Only one way to find out." Hermione disappeared to get her wand. She cam back and sat across from Jessi pointing her wand at her stomach. "_Habere Proles_" as Hermione spoke the words a white light shot out of her wand. The light engulfed Jessi before turning blue and disappearing

"Sweet Zeus' Candy sticks." Jessi said softly her eyes going wide.

"Jess…Are you going to tell Remus?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, after N.E.W.T.s……first I have to find something to help with this sick feeling." She said softly.

"Go to Professor Snape." Hermione said simply.

"What? Are you out of your mind?"

"No, listen Jess, ask for an anti-nausea potion. Tell him you're overly stressed by N.E.W.T.s. He likes you. Knows you have what it takes to be good at Potions. He'll make it for you. Oh but tell him you're allergic to tarpin leaves."

"Right. Ok, I should go before breakfast then. I'll see you at the test." Jessi hugged her best friend before slipping out of the door. She made her way carefully to the dungeons. When she got there she knocked softly. "Professor Snape?"

"Come in Miss Carmichael. And shut the door. As I assume by the early nature of this visit you want it kept private." Snape snapped.

"I'm having trouble. I'm overly stressed." she started.

"This is my concern why?" he asked glaring at her.

"I was wondering if you could make me an anti-nausea draft, without the tarpin leaves." she said quickly.

"Madame Pomfrey has anti-nausea draft in the Hospital…did you say without the Tarpin leaves?" his expression changed from a glare to a look of confusion.

"Yes…I'm allergic." she smiled weakly.

"You are not" he snapped.

"How would you know?" she asked shocked.

" Allergies to tarpin leaves are inherited paternally. I know your father Miss Carmichael. He isn't allergic to tarpin leaves."

"No he isn't" she said glumly.

"The only other reason, one would remove that particular ingredient is if one were pregnant." he said smarmily. When she didn't answer he proceeded. "Who is the father Miss Carmichael."

"That is none of your business." she snapped.

"Ah so you are. Well as you know I am a Legilimens"

"Professor Snape." Jessi said cutting him off. "I have always admired you for you're work ethic and your skill with potions. However, if you use your skill in Legilimency to find something out just because you want to know, I will lose a great deal of that respect." she said calmly.

"Very well, Miss Carmichael. Pick the potion up in a half hour, before your test." he said quickly.

"Thank you, Professor." she hurried from the room. As she left the dungeon she ran into what seemed to be a solid wall, which turned out to be Remus.

"Is it true Jessi?" he asked staunchly. When she didn't answer he lead her from the dungeons to his office. He closed and locked the door, and placed a silencing charm around the room. "Jessi, is it true? You didn't deny it when Snape asked."

"I didn't deny it." she repeated nervously.

"So it's true then." he asked sitting down across from her.

"Yes, I just found out this morning. Hermione performed the spell for me." Jessi said softly.

Remus didn't say anything. He just looked at her. He couldn't believe he'd been so careless. _She's to young to have children, much less my children _he though to himself. 

"Aren't you going to say something" Jessi asked snapping Remus from his thoughts.

"What is there to say?" he asked seriously.

"Oh I don't know" she said sarcastically "I just told the person I love most in the world, the biggest news of my entire life. I'd think he could find something to say."

"What's done is done. We'll just have to deal with this." he said quietly.

"Deal with this." she looked at him shocked. "Children aren't something you 'deal' with. They're amazing gifts. They are meant to be held and loved and cherished and told how important and special they are. Not Dealt with." she looked at him with tears streaming done her cheeks. "If that's what you think, I'll raise this child on my own." Jessi left his office quickly running through the castle not looking at where she was going. She ended up in a sixth floor corridor. She sat with her back on the wall. She heard someone come up next to her, and knew it was Harry. 

"Shhh…it'll be ok Jessi. Mione, Ron and I will all be here for you." Harry said soothingly as he rocked his crying friend. 

"Remus didn't take it well, then?" Ron asked sitting on the floor in front of her. "Harry told me, and Mione told him." Ron said when she looked at him confused.

"At least we're in the same boat" Hermione said sitting down on the other side of Jessi. "I tested myself this morning after you left. I'd suspected, but was to afraid to find out." 

The four friends sat in the corridor talking quietly. They nearly missed their Charms N.E.W.T. but Ron happened to glance at his watch. They all raced quickly to the Great Hall, and took their seats. When the test was over they spilled out onto the sun dappled grounds and went to their usual spot by the lake, they spent most of the afternoon talking and relaxing. They still had N.E.W.T.s for Potions and Astronomy but they decided that they needed the afternoon off.


	13. Graduation

Ch. 13 Graduation.

Graduation finally came to Hogwarts. Harry and Ron, had been being extremely helpful to both Jessi and Hermione. They barely let them lift a finger. When it was time to get ready for Graduation the girls happily banished the boys.

"Jessi…Did you ever imagine any of this would happen" Hermione asked wistfully as she twisted a section of Jessi's hair up, pinning it so the curls fell softly to her shoulders. 

"In general or the part about us being pregnant before leaving school?" Jessi asked smiling at her friend.

"Both" Hermione said as she placed the final pin in Jessi's hair.

"Nope, I never did." Jessi said as the switched places. 

"Jessi?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm…" Jessi answered absentmindedly, she was experimenting with ways of pulling Hermione's hair back.

"Would you be my Maid of Honor." Hermione asked warily.

"Of Course...wait that means Harry finally popped the question. I'm so happy for you too." she hugged her best friend , then finally decided on a style. She twisted small sections back pinning them at the crown of Hermione's head. She then elaborately twisted it all into a loose knot.

They both smiled and chatted as they put on their make up and jewelry. They turned to opposite sides of the room to dress. Their dresses, to be worn under scarlet Gryffindor robes, had arrived yesterday, and although neither girl was showing much, the dresses had need a bit of altering. (A/N: Gryffindor boys will wear gold robes. Ravenclaw girls blue, boys bronze. Hufflepuff girls yellow, boys black. Slytherin girls green, boy silver.)

Jessi's dress was scarlet, nearly the same shade as her robes. The halter top crossed behind her neck, before splitting into many small thin ribbons that spread and crossed down her back. The top of the dress was fitted to the waist while the skirt fell in graceful sweeping layers to the floor. When Jessi turned around to face her friend she gaped. Every thought, save for the one that her best friend was going to knock peoples socks off, left her head.

When Hermione saw Jessi she gasped. She momentarily forgot that she was dressed up as well. Hermione's dress was white, the slinky , silky fabric fell from across her left shoulder to where it tied in knots the whole way down her side to the skirt. The soft white fabric, pulled and rippled just right as it fell gently into an asymmetrical skirt, with the long side on the right. (A/N: Asymmetrical-not even the whole way around, it's longer on one side.)

The girls both slipped on their robes and shoes quickly. They glanced one last time around the room, before going out into the Head's Common Room. The boys smiled and gaped a bit when the girls entered the room. They smiled at the girls and lead them down to the Quidditch pitch for the ceremony.

The 7th year students sat in the mid-morning sunshine talking and laughing. They were seated by their placement in the class through the top ten students the alphabetically. Jessi was seated between Hermione, who was 1st in the class, and Michael Corner, who was 3rd. When Dumbledore took the stage the applause was deafening. Everyone one the pitch; faculty, students, parents, ministry workers, and alumni; all burst into applause. The cacophony stopped as Dumbledore began to speak.

"Welcome, to the end of another year." he paused beaming at the sea of students. "This year has been one filled with great achievement," he looked from Hermione and Jessi to Padma and Blaise as he spoke, "And great disappointment," he looked at Draco Malfoy who had nearly been expelled, and was on probation with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, for a prank he played that nearly killed a 1st year Hufflepuff. "I would like to Congratulate you all on your success and you completion of your education at Hogwarts. Now I present to you, this years top student and Head Girl, Miss Hermione Granger."

The applause when Hermione stood was thunderous. She beamed angelically at her fellow students before beginning to speak. "Friends, Parents, Faculty and Honored guests. My years at Hogwarts have been the best of my life. I could stand up here all day and tell you all I've learned, but that might bore you to tears. So I'm going to hand this over to my best friend, my confidant…and no Harry it isn't you. Ladies and Gentlemen, Jessi Carmichael." Hermione smiled mischievously at her friend as she stood. Jessi approached the stage slowly. When she got there she hugged Hermione who quickly returned to her seat.

"Wow…This is a very different perspective. I had no clue she was going to do that so please forgive me if I'm a bit rattled." She smiled as she looked around the packed Quidditch pitch "Every year new students come to Hogwarts, they come to become a part of the magical world. To fulfill their destiny. I hope I have started to fulfill mine. I've learned many things here over the years, And while yes, a great deal of it has come from books the more important part has not. I've learned about true friendship and bravery. Harry…" she smiled at him. "You've taught me that not everything I needed was always in books, no matter what Hermione says, You've taught me how to be courageous in the face of the things we fear the most. Ron…" she turned to face him and smiled brightly "you've taught me how to use logic to defeat the illogical, and although I'll probably never beat you at chess it was definitely worth learning. Hermione…" she smiled at her best friend and paused "…you've taught me what true friendship is. You've always been there when I need you whether it was all night study sessions for N.E.W.T.s to sticking by me now. You are the sister I never had, and I love you and wish you and Harry the very best." She paused again searching through the crowd her gaze finally locking with Remus', tears welling up in her eyes. "Professor Lupin, I want to thank you for showing me that people aren't always what they seem. And to all the rest of my fellow student, you've all left me with something or taught me something, yes even you Ferret head, Congratulations. We did it." she smiled out at her classmates and exited the stage. 

They sat through the rest of the ceremony, each student was called up and given their Certificate of Graduation, and any other awards. After the ceremony, the students milled about on the field, laughing and crying, being engulfed in hugs and smothered with kisses. Dumbledore and the rest of the faculty finally ushered everyone who was not a student off the pitch. The students were grouped together for pictures, fist by house and then the entire class. Dennis Creevy caught Harry, Hermione, Jessi, and Ron on their way to the Great Hall and stopped them for a picture. Soon they were on their way again. When they entered the Great Hall they all smiled. The Hall had been decorated in all the house colors there were magical flowers, and harmless magical animals everywhere. Strung across the front of the hall, written in large loopy, glittering letters was a sign that read:

Welcome to the Good-Bye Ball

Congrats Class of 1998 


	14. The GoodBye Ball

Ch. 14. The Good-Bye Ball.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If you recognize it, it isn't mine. If you don't recognize it, it might be.

A/N: Howdy Ya'll. Um I don't really have much to say. I guess it's the same as always. To my SL you all are truly the best, thanks for putting up with me. B, you are the best friend a girl could ask for. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

On with the show…………………

Jessi heard Hermione squeal when they entered the hall. It looked amazing, and she knew it was all because of Hermione's hard work. Jessi smiled brightly as Padma, Parvati and Lavender approached, they talked for a few moments before Parvati and Lavender disappeared into the crush of students.

"Hermione…this is amazing" Jessi said turning to face her friend. 

"I'm glad it all came together" Hermione said leaning against Harry's side when he returned from a conversation with Mr. Weasley. 

"You too have fun, I'm going to go sit for a bit." she smiled and waved at her friends. She made her way slowly through the throngs of students, smiling bemusedly as she passed. She stopped in front of one of the large windows which was allowing light to pour into the room. She stood silently, looking out of the grounds. 

"Jessi, How are you?" a voice said from behind her.

"Andrew," she said turning to face Andrew Scottsdale (A/N: and you all thought he was gone….MUHAHAHAHAHA) "I'm good. How are you?" she smiled at him and sipped her drink.

"Fantastic, are you planning to stay at St. Mungo's , continuing your training I mean." he asked 

"Yes, and I hear you're going to work for the Ministry, Department of Magical Games and Sports?"

"Yes" he replied genially. "Jessi?"

"Yes" she smiled up at him.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked 

"Sure, why not?" she smiled at him as he took her hand and lead her onto the dance floor. He twirled her around softly before pulling her into her arms.

"So was it true what you said out there?" 

"Which part?" she asked looking up at him.

"The part about everyone teaching you something" he smiled as he spun her again.

"Yes" she said laughing softly.

"What did I teach you?" he asked cheekily.

"Oh how quickly you forget. You taught me the Bubble head Charm." she smiled at him mischievously. 

"Ah, yes I do seem to recall that." he smiled and released her slightly as the music faded. "Jessi?"

"Hmm…"

"I'm sorry." he said quietly.

"What for, you haven't done anything. Have you?"

"No, No, I meant for last term. I knew Jason Henson was spreading rumors about us and I didn't do anything to stop him."

"It's ok , Andrew…that all seems like ages ago." she smiled and winked at him.

"Why are you so great?" he asked rhetorically.

"Aww…That's sweet."

"What's Sweet? And Andrew do you mind if I cut in?" Ron said coming up behind them.

"Not at all, Ron, I'll talk to you later Jessi." he grinned at her as he walked off.

"Subjecting your self to Scottsdale, Are you really that upset?" Ron grinned down and spun Jessi.

"Andrew isn't really that bad. A bit pompous at times, but he's not all bad. When did you learn to dance so well?" she smiled up at Ron and stuck her tongue out.

"Ok Ok…and Mum made us all learn this past summer" 

"I see…where is Padma by the way. She really missed you while we were at St. Mungo's." 

"She's talking with Anthony Goldstein, something about Egypt" he shrugged. "I'm going to ask her to marry me." he said quietly.

"Who? Egypt?" she joked.

"No Padma…I really love her." he was grinning like mad.

"That's fantastic Ron. I know she'll say yes." she smiled quickly. "I'm really happy for you" 

When the song ended Ron lead her over to a table where Harry and Hermione were sitting. Jessi sat gratefully and Ron disappeared to get Padma. When they returned they sat talking and laughing. Jessi and Padma both raised and eyebrow when Harry and Ron stood abruptly glaring at someone behind them. Jessi looked over her shoulder to see Remus standing behind her.

"Jessi can I talk to you?" he glanced around the table at the others "alone."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Harry said, Ron nodded in agreement.

"It's alright guys." Jessi smiled wanly at them as she stood. "I'll go."

"We'll be here if you need us." Ron said. 

Jessi nodded gratefully to them and let herself be lead outside. Remus didn't speak as the walked, just kept going at a determined pace. Jessi groaned and pulled her elbow from his grasp.

"I'm not as tall as you and I'm wearing heels. Unless you want me to fall and break my neck, slow down." she glared at him.

"Sorry" he said shortly. He placed his hand back on her elbow and lead her at a slower pace down to the lake. "Jessi, we need to talk."

"Oh really" she rolled her eyes. "I thought we'd covered everything. I'm pregnant with _your _child and you could care less."

"Jessi, stop and listen to me for a minute." he placed a finger over her lips to silence her " I never said I didn't care. I'm ecstatic, I've always wanted children and I'm thrilled that it's you caring this child."

"You have a funny way of showing it" she snapped drawing away from him.

"I'm worried Jess" he said softly.

"You're worried. Hell-o, I'm the one carrying a child, without a support system, outside of another pair of 17 year-olds who are having a baby."

"Jessi, I'm worried that in 10 years you're going to look back at all this and hate me. I don't want you to ever feel trapped, and that's what this is going to do."

"I don't think that's what you're really worried about. I think you're the one that feels trapped. You might be 20 years older than me but you're obviously not ready to handle this'' she glared up at him before turning on her heel and stalking off. She made it halfway across to the front doors of the castle when she stepped off the side of her heels and tumbled to the ground. She sobbed softly as she landed on the ground. Before she could blink Remus was at her side.

"Jessi, Sweet Merlin, Jessi are you ok?" he knelt beside her.

"Go Away…I don't want you here." she sobbed.

"Look, whatever we're going through right now, you can't sit here with a broken ankle." he soothed wrapping and arm around her shoulders.

"I said go away. If you want to help me send Harry or Ron." she pounded on his chest as she sobbed.

"I'm not leaving you here" he said scooping her up into his arms. 

"Put me down. I'm not going anywhere else with you." she said angrily.

"You're going to the Hospital wing to have that ankle checked." he said firmly, shouldering the heavy oak doors open.

"It's only sprained. In case you've forgotten I've been learning to treat illness and injury for the last 4 months" she scowled when he set her on a bed. 

"I didn't forget, but it's better if you let Poppy do it anyway. You're hurting, you could get distracted." he said softly, heading for the Medi-witches office.

"Fine, Just don't talk to me" she said grumpily leaning back against the pillows.

Jessi winced when Madame Pomfrey came out and prodded her ankle with her wand. The Medi-witch muttered something under her breath. She quickly healed Jessi's ankle and then looked at her seriously.

"You're going to have to stay off of it for the most part at least until tomorrow." the aging witch said.

"Alright. I promise I'll stay off of it after I get up to the tower." Jessi said compliantly.

"I'm afraid that isn't good enough my dear" she held a hand up to hold off Jessi's words as she continued. "If you fall again, you could lose your baby"

"Alright what do you suggest then" Jessi asked quietly, crossing her arms over her stomach as if to protect the baby from harm.

"Someone need to accompany you, and stay with you, to make sure you actually do as you're supposed to" she looked from Jessi to Remus "I would suggest Mr. Lupin accompany you as he is already here."

"No…anyone but him. I'll even stay here" she said quickly.

"You can't stay here I'm afraid. I have to get ready to close the wing for the summer. You will let Mr. Lupin accompany and that's final" 

"I guess I don't have a choice" she muttered flatly.

"Apparently not. It isn't like I'm going to kill you, so would you please come on" Remus said semi-annoyed.

"I'm coming, and you're not allowed to be mad. I'm not the one who isn't taking responsibility for my actions." she snapped setting her weight carefully on her ankle as she walked. She was surprised that there was only a small twinge and not a shooting pain.

"Oh stop it. You're just trying to make me mad. I never said anything of that sort." he scowled at her.

"Oh yes, that's my goal, make the ever logical, unemotional Remus Lupin mad" she rolled her eyes.

"Is that really what you think?" he stopped and faced her. 

"No" she said slowly. "Super logical yes, but you aren't unemotional"

"Jessi, we really need to talk." he said quietly. "Without fighting."

"What's left to say Remus, You've already broken my heart what else is there." she said nearly inaudibly.

"There's enough come on" he said, gently placing an arm around her waist and leading her to his living area "We won't be interrupted here"

"Fine" she said softly.

"Sit" he guide her gently to a couch sitting down across from her. "Jess, I know I handled it badly when you told me you were pregnant."

"That's an understatement" she muttered under her breath. 

"Let me finish?" he asked

"I couldn't stop you if I wanted could I?"

"Do you really not want to here this?" he asked

"Go on" she said softly.

"I know I handled it badly, and I know I gave you the impression that I don't care and that you were on your own, but that isn't true." he stopped looking at her to gauge her reaction. She was still looking at him skeptically. "Jessi, I love you with everything I've got. I'm not good with words or feelings, like you said before I'm to logical. I need you Jess. I want to be a part of our child's life. I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life. I love you Jessi, that's all there is to it, I love you."

"Remus…" she said his name softly, tears coming to her eyes.

"Jessi, sweetheart'' he dropped onto his knees in front of her "Don't cry, please, I didn't want to make you cry.'' he pleaded.

"I…" she dashed her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Hold that thought" he got up and went into the bedroom returning quickly. He handed her a small black velvet box. 

Jessi flipped open the box and gasped. Inside was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. There was a single square cut diamond set in a band of gold, that had runes etched into it. Roughly translated the runes stated:

_I'll love you forever_

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My true love you'll be.* 

"You don't have to say yes, but keep that anyway, I don't have any use for it anymore. Werewolves mate for life you know." 

"Remus, I don't know what to say." she looked up at him, then caught the last part of his statement. "Are you telling me…." she trailed off letting the question hang.

"No" he chuckled sitting down beside her.

"But…you said." she looked at him confused.

"I know" his eyes grew serious and he got up and began to pace "Abigail Bagnold, daughter of the Minister of Magic before Fudge. She was murdered by some muggle the summer after my 7th year."

"Oh, Remus I'm so sorry." she said softly crossing over to him.

"She didn't know" he said in a hoarse whisper "About me I mean, I couldn't bring myself to tell her. After Abigail died, I was lost…I thought I could never love anyone again." he stepped closer to her, running his thumb over her cheek. "And then you came into my life. You knew what I was and didn't care. I tried not to love you, I tried to ignore the fact that I needed to see you smile to complete my day. I couldn't….." he was cut off when a large eagle owl flew in through the window. 

"Hamlet?" she shrugged looking between Remus and the owl. "What's daddy want?" she sidestepped and pulled the letter off the owls leg. She stroked the owls head and grinned at it. She read through the letter carefully and blanched.

"Jessi? What's wrong?" Remus stepped up behind her, Reading over her shoulder.

_Jessica,_

Please return to the house in London as soon as you get back from Hogwarts. Your mother and I have something to discuss with you. Furthermore, I'm disappointed that you felt you could not tell me about your current condition do to the consequences of your actions.

Sincerely,

G. Carmichael 

"He never calls me Jessica" she turned to look up at Remus. "How did….Hells Bells" she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"What?" Remus placed a hand on either one of her arms, looking down at her worriedly.

"I wrote Toby last week, to tell him about me being pregnant. He didn't respond so I figured he was either really mad or the owl got lost. Apparently however my parents intercepted the letter." she groaned and rest her forehead on his chest.

"It'll work out Jess, I promise. You don't have to go through any of this alone. I'll always be here for you." he slid his arms around her back rubbing her shoulders comfortingly. 

Jessi didn't say anything just let her head continue to rest on his chest. Her breathing lowly evened out and she relaxed a bit. When she finally looked up at him, he was staring down at her imploringly. "I love you , Remus"

"I love you too, Jessi" he tightened his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead.

They stood in silence for a bit longer. Jessi was about to speak when a bell went off signaling that the students had fifteen minutes to get to Hogsmeade station. Remus glanced down at her sadly before releasing her. She kissed him softly.

"I'll owl you when I get to London" she said softly.

"Alright. If you need anything at all I'll be here until tomorrow then back at Grimmauld place until the next full moon. After that, well I hope to hear from you before then." he said brushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

Jessi nodded, kissed him again and headed for the door. She skidded to a halt in the Entrance Hall, taking her bag from Harry, who'd picked up His and Hermione's as well from the Head's Common Room. They walked amicably down to the train, although Jessi was slightly downtrodden. When the train reached London Jessi hugged Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Padma good-bye telling them she'd see them later. She then gathered her things and apparated to her parents house. 

* The poem is from a book my Mom used to read to me when I was young. I can't remember the name _I'll Love You Forever _possibly. It's really sweet and I suggest it to all of you. The actual words to the poem are:

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I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

As long as I'm living

My baby you'll be.

A/N: Ok Ya'll you know what to do. Seriously though, there is one chapter and an epilogue left. The more reviews the faster I post. Much love. --Waterlili


	15. Marriage to Malfoy?

Ch. 15 Marriage to Malfoy?

A/N: Hello Kids. Sorry I haven't updated in awhile I've been way busy with school. Blah. But I only have 9 actual days of classes left…WOOHOO. Ok so This is the last chapter. *tear* But I do have a Epilogue so don't give up yet. Oh yes…..Please please please please PLEASE. Review.

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On with the show……………..

Jessi entered the house slowly, setting her trunk and her bag on the floor near the door. After boarding the train all of the students had changed from there dress clothes into regular everyday clothes. She smiled at Jingle who scurried into the hall and informed her that both of her parents were in her father's office. Jessi sighed and made her way slowly to her fathers office. She knocked softly and went in when acknowledged. When she went in she was shocked to see not only both her parents but Lucius and Draco Malfoy.

"Miss Carmichael, how lovely to see you again." Lucius said smoothly "Draco and I have just finished the most interesting talk with your parents."

"It's lovely to see you as well Mr. Malfoy." she smiled weakly at him.

"Jessica there is no need for triteness" her mother snapped.

"I'm sorry if you thought I was being trite that was not my intention" she answered her mother complacently. 

"Jessica do not be rude to your mother" her father snapped.

"Yes, Father" she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. 

"Jessi, I was quite upset by your speech at Graduation today." Draco said speaking for the first time. He was grinning at her sadistically. 

"I'm sorry Draco, I never meant to offend you" she said glancing down so they wouldn't see the laughter in her eyes.

"You made direct reference to a rather painful memory I'd rather forget" he said with very convincing fake hurt. 

"I'm truly sorry Draco" she glanced down again and muttered ''Draco Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret" under her breath.

"What was that Jessica?" her mother snapped.

"Nothing mother" Jessi smiled serenely "If I may ask to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit with Mr. Malfoy and Draco?" she asked softly.

"We're going to discuss your impending engagement." her father said coolly. 

"Impending what?" she stammered.

"Engagement. Jessi, love, You don't have to hide your feelings for me anymore'' Draco got up and moved closer to her, leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Don't make this hard on yourself" 

"I…uh…."she was completely speechless.

"My dear girl there is nothing to be afraid of, becoming a Malfoy will only offer you the greatest privileges in life" Lucius said his voice like aged scotch. 

"I'm um…" she looked around at all the faces in the room. "I'm….I'm already engaged to someone else." she stammered quickly.

"WHAT?" her mother screamed. Her father looked shocked. Lucius' eyes flashed with anger and Draco looked confused. 

"Jessica this isn't a joking matter. Marriage is serious and should…"

"Be approached like a business deal? I'm sorry if I don't agree with that." she cut her father off abruptly.

"Do not interrupt me Jessica." her father snapped.

"Sorry" she said softly.

"I refuse to believe you'd do something else stupid Jessica." her mother began. "First the picture with that Quidditch player in the _Daily Prophet_. Then…" her mother stopped abruptly.

"Oh you didn't tell them. Was that the plan. Get me married as soon as possible so" she didn't get to finish because her father interrupted her.

"JESSICA, that's enough" he said calmly.

"No Daddy I'm sorry. Not for the fact that I'm pregnant. I'm not her." she glared at her mother. "I'm actually quite delighted." She knew that Lucius and Draco were both looking at her in shock but she didn't care. "I'm sorry if you don't agree with my decisions or my choices, but I'm legally an adult and they are mine to make. I'm already engaged to be married to the father of my child. That is the end of this discussion. Mr. Malfoy, Draco, I'm sorry my parent's have taken up your valuable time. If they had consulted me about this matter first this all could have been avoided." she sank into a cushion on one of the window seats.

"Jessica, go up to your room, You and I will discuss this. Marissa I think it would be best if you saw Lucius and Draco to the door. I have some owls to send." her father said deadly calm.

Jessi nodded and without looking at any of the other occupants of the room ,left. She scuttled quickly down the hall and up to the third floor. She entered her bedroom quickly, and sat at her desk. She dug around in her school bag for a quill and parchment. She sat at her desk and began to write.

_My dearest Remus:_

I've only just returned to London and I already miss you. I was correct in my assumption that my parents know I'm carrying your child. I love saying that. I'm carrying Remus Lupin's child, however I digress. Upon my return home I was summoned to my father's office and informed that I was soon to be engaged to one Draco Malfoy. Needless to say I was less than thrilled. I promptly informed all occupants of the room that I was already engaged, which cause quite an uproar. I know that I didn't truly accept your proposal at Hogwarts ,although truly you didn't propose. However, if you'll still have me I would be honored (say thrilled, and the happiest person alive) if you'll still have me. 

Love Always

Jessi

P.S.- If you think for one second I'm accepting to avoid marriage to Malfoy, I'll smack you upside your head in hope of knocking some sense into you. Once again. I love you and hope to see you soon. 

Jessi finished her letter and sent it off to Remus at Hogwarts, just as her father entered the room. She looked at him over her shoulder before turning back to the window and watching Persephone fly off. She rest her palms on the windowsill and sighed. "Go ahead and yell" she muttered.

"I'm not going to yell at you Jessi." her father said sitting in one of the chairs near a window.

"Daddy, I'm sorry if I wrecked your plans for a merger with Malfoy industries, but I couldn't marry Draco. Even if I wasn't already engaged." she turned to face her father leaning against the window.

"It'll be fine. I doubt the boy was thrilled about that prospect of marrying you either."

"Thanks Daddy" she rolled her eyes.

"Jessi, I want to meet this man you're engaged to." her father said watching he as she dug through her bag for the box containing the ring. She pulled out the box and handed it to him.

"It's been in his family for nearly ten generations. And you may know him" she said sitting on the arm of the chair he was in.

"How so? Oh please tell me it isn't that Quidditch player? What's his name?" her father asked skeptically.

"Oliver, and no it isn't Oliver. Although you aren't the first person to say that. I think you were at Hogwarts with him." she said nervously.

"I was at school with him?" he raised an eyebrow

"Ok I take that back. Aunt Carlene was a year ahead of him" she glanced at her father.

"Ah so an older man. Who Jessi?" he asked , pulling her into his lap and tucking her head under his chin.

"Remus Lupin" she said quietly. She smiled at the fact that even though she was legally an adult and pregnant her father still held her in his lap like he'd done when she was a small child.

"The werewolf?" he sounded skeptical.

"Yes, but he's so much more than that" she climbed out of his lap and began to pace as she talked. "He's wonderfully kind, and loving, and he's extremely logical. He's brilliant , and funny, and he shares my love of muggle literature. He puts up with my insane emotions and listens, really listens when I talk. The most important thing though, he loves me."

"I can't say I'm thrilled he is a good bit older than you, But if he makes you happy." he was cut off abruptly when his daughter threw herself into his arms hugging him happily. "AND he can prove to me he can take care of you and your child."

"Oh Daddy you're amazing" she hugged him.

"Thanks Jess. Sweetheart I have one more thing to ask you?" his voice turned serious again.

"What?" she looked at him warily.

"What did you mean when you said you weren't your mother?" he asked seriously.

"I can't tell you." she said solemnly

"Why?"

"You wouldn't believe me anyway. The only people who know are Harry and Remus anyway." she said sadly.

"Try me?" he said.

"Remember the stained glass piece that used to be in the door at the bottom of the stairs between the third and fourth floor? The one I _broke_?" 

"Yes what about it?" he asked confused.

"Remember how I was so adamant that I didn't break it? That isn't the entire truth. Technically I did." she said tears coming to her eyes.

"What are you talking about Jessi?"

"It broke when I fell through it because she pushed me down the stairs. I have the scar to prove it" she said crying.

"Oh Jess, I'm so sorry, I had no Idea honestly I didn't" he wrapped his arms around her and soothed her as she cried.

"Oh what's the problem now?" her mother's voice came from the doorway.

"Out Marissa. I can't divorce you, to much scandal, but if you set one foot within one hundred meters of my daughter I will have you committed to St. Mungo's."

"Grayson what story has that lying whore fed you now."

"Marissa I swear to you… she told me about the window with the stars. I believe her. I have no reason not to, And the star shaped scar runs quite well with her story."

Jessi looked between her parents. Her father had never spoken to her mother like this before. At least not in front of her. She was quite shocked. She sat quietly with her father, telling him other stories, showing him other scars for a long time after her mother left the room. They said goodbye and Jessi apparated to her flat. 

She unlocked the door and smiled at the sight that greeted her. All of her close friends were sitting in the living room. Hermione looked up when she entered and squealed.

"Jessi, oh Remus owled Harry as soon as he got your letter. Was it horrible?" she hugged her friend and guided her to the couch. 

"I'll make tea." Padma said hurrying into the kitchen.

"It was a bit of a shock but not horrible. I reasoned with my dad. He wants to meet Remus. Although there is no doubt in my mind he'll approved." she smiled at her three best friends. She looked pointedly at Harry "I told him"

"What'd he say?" Harry asked shocked.

"When I showed him the scars, he told my mum he couldn't divorce her for the scandal, but he told her if she ever cam within one hundred meters of me he'd commit her to St. Mungo's."

"Jessi, that's great" Harry said. Hermione and Ron were looking between the bewildered. Padma chose that moment to return with tea and the subject was dropped. They all sat around talking about the future and the past till the early morning. Harry and Hermione then apparated back to Grimmauld Place. Ron and Padma disappeared into her room and Jessi was left sitting alone mulling over the last few weeks events. 

Jessi drifted slowly off to sleep in the living room watching the fire. She woke up to a soft knocking on the front door of the flat. She was going to comment on the early hour when she realized it was almost 11:00am. She got up off the couch and padded over to the front door. When she opened the door and saw Remus, she smiled broadly and hugged him.

"Hello love." he said kissing her.

"Hi. I missed you." she said leading him into the kitchen. "I just woke up I need coffee."

"Have I mentioned how incredible you look when you've just woken up before?" he asked playfully.

"Mmmm….not today" she said pouring coffee. "you want?" she indicated the coffee.

"No thanks." he moved over in front of her "Jessi?"

"Hmm…" she looked up at him and smiled, kissing him softly.

"I want to ask you something. I know I sort of asked you at Hogwarts yesterday. But I want to make it official." he grinned down at her.

"I…." she set her coffee cup on the counter and looked at him.

"Jessi, you're the love of my life. I want to spend everyday with you. I want to raise a family with you and grow old with you. I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life and listen to you pout about not having coffee." he grinned at her again. "I love everything about you. Would you make me the happiest man alive and Marry me?" 

"Yes" she answered simply, and unhesitant. "I love you Remus Lupin and I will marry you" 

A/N: Ok Ya'll know what to do. Click it and Review.


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue

A/N: Aww…..It's over. That makes me kind of sad. But not to worry, I have much more going on in my head. (You should all be very, very afraid.) Ok I'm done ranting for now. 

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Go. Read….Now!

Jessi stretched languorously, cracking her eyes slightly at the early morning sun shining through the bedroom window. She felt Remus move beside her and smiled. She snuggle further under the blankets and shut her eyes tightly.  
"Morning, love" Remus said softly, kissing her shoulder. "I know you're wake"  
"Morning to you too. So we have to get up?" she asked playfully. She kissed him softly and guided her hands up his bare chest.   
"I'm afraid so. You do know what today is don't you?" he asked brushing her hair out of her face.  
"I do. And I have to tell you, my feeling about today are quite ambivalent." she said, drawing her eyebrow together in thought.  
"Come on Jess, This isn't the first time you've done this." he said comfortingly.  
"I know, but Alyssa is my baby" she leaned against him.  
"I know, she looks and acts just like you." he grinned at her.  
"I'm really starting to dislike September first." she mumbled. "Couldn't we just stay in bed all day?" she looked up at him winking suggestively.  
"I'm afraid not, love." he kissed her tenderly. "Tell you what I'll go down and make coffee, and you go check on the kids."  
"You're making coffee, my hero" she swooned fakely and hopped out of bed. "Ok let's go then, I bet their all up but Anna though."  
"She is her mother's daughter. Ow-" he held the back of his head where she'd thumped him with a pillow. "You aren't a morning person and you know it. We've been married for 17 years and never once, have you voluntarily gotten up before 8 am."   
"I have so, it's 7:45 now and I'm up." she gave him a 'You Lose' look.  
"I made you get up." he mumbled.  
"Go make coffee before I hurt you" she rolled her eyes as she left the room. She was headed down to the end of the hallway to her youngest sons room when a piercing scream followed by giggles came from her youngest daughters room. She hurried down the hall to see her eldest child holding his sister by her ankles tickling her. "RJ what are you doing"   
"Al has been panicking all morning I was trying to lighten the mood." the 17-year old said with a grin.  
"Don't call me Al" the raven haired eleven year old called from underneath her brother. "And get off, I can't breath"  
"How you ever made Head Boy is beyond me RJ." she smiled at her son. "Go finish packing." she smiled at him as he left the room and sat down on the bed.  
"Hi Mum" her youngest child said. Alyssa Lupin sat Indian-style at the head of her bed facing her mother. "Mummy?"  
"What is it Sweet Pea, what's on your mind?" Jessi opened her arms, and her daughter crawled into them sniffling slightly.  
"What if I don't make Gryffindor? What if Lily does and I don't, or I do and she doesn't? What if Lily makes a new best friend? What if I get lost? What if know one likes me?" the unusually small girl rattled off questions in quick succession.  
"Your Dad and I will love you no matter what house you are in. If you and Lily aren't in the same house, it isn't the end of the world, you'll still see each other. You and Lily will both make new friends, maybe they'll be the same maybe they won't. You two have known each other your whole lives, you'll always be friends. And I'm sure people will like you. Maybe not everyone but that's ok." she answered the questions one at a time rubbing her daughters back slowly.  
"Thanks Mum."  
"No problem, Sweet Pea. Are you all packed?"  
"Yes." Alyssa said with a smile.  
"Alright then. When you're out of your pajama's , and into real clothes go on downstairs. I think your dad is cooking."  
"Daddy's cooking. WOOHOO. I love when Daddy cooks, no offense." the girl apologized quickly.  
"It's alright, I enjoy it when your Dad cooks as well." she smiled at her youngest child from the doorway before exiting the room and making her way down the hall to her 16-year old daughters room.  
Jessi loved the hallway that contained her children's bedrooms. It was short and cramped, filled with pictures of the four youngsters as they grew up, that waved and smiled back happily. It contain hand-drawn family portraits, framed first Hogwarts letters, as well as RJ and Anna's Prefect letters and RJ's Head Boy letter. This hallway housed mementos of every major moment in her children's lives. She smiled at a picture of Anna dressed in too-big heels, and too-long pearls on her sixth birthday, framed next to a picture of the same girl in the same heels and pearls on her sixteenth birthday.  
"Anna, it's time to get up Sunshine." she entered the room and was shocked to find the bed already made.   
"I'm in my closet Mum." her daughters voice came from the far corner of the room.  
Jessi made her way carefully around the clothing strewn bedroom and leaned on the doorjamb of the walk in closet, Remus had magically expanded for her for her thirteenth birthday. She watched her daughter carefully.   
"Morning Mum" Anna said jovial, pulling another set of robes from it's hanger.   
"Morning Sunshine, How much clothing are you taking?" Jessi asked with a raised eyebrow.  
"Well everything in that pile," she indicated a moderately sized pile "is questionable, the pile next to it " she indicated a pile as high as their knees "goes for sure, and the small pile is definite no's" she smiled at her mother as she pulled a short black skirt off it's hanger.   
"Right. As long as it all fits in your trunk." Jessi smiled.  
"Oh it will. Mostly the green stuff is staying because I've recently been informed it's Blockhead's favorite color, and the blue goes because Tris likes me in blue." Anna smiled dreamily when she mentioned her boyfriend Tristain Malfoy a 7th year Ravenclaw she'd been seeing for about six months.   
"Anna, don't call James names, and you shouldn't dress based on what others want."  
"I know Mum, I know. I just happen to like blue as well. It brings out my eyes." Anna shrugged tossing a blue tank top on the 'definite' pile.  
"Green brings out the blue better" Jessi said absentmindedly folding things that were in one of the piles.  
"Mum" Anna said exasperatedly "Blockhead likes green."  
"I thought you weren't dressing for others''   
"This is different."  
"Ok, Anna, Why do you and James dislike each other so much anyway?"   
"He's an annoying prat, who thinks he knows what's best for everyone, and he's a total man-whore."  
"Anna Lynn, that isn't very nice."  
"He isn't very nice, I don't know how RJ and Cecily put up with him."  
"Anna, I love you, Sunshine." _And you and James have more in common than you could possibly know _she smiled and kissed her daughters temple. "Come down for breakfast when you've finished packing. Your Dad is cooking.  
"Dad's cooking. Snap!" Anna laughed as she went back into her closet.  
Jessi smiled and shook her head, she was about to leave the room when she heard shouts coming from the hallway. She opened the door to See RJ chasing her other son, Jeremy, down the hall only to have Jeremy's door slammed in his face.  
"JEREMY LUPIN…YOU GIVE THAT BACK" RJ yelled.  
"RJ…don't yell." she reprimanded before.  
"Mummy" Alyssa came out crying, holding her ears.  
"I know, baby" she knelt in front of her daughter. "Shhh….it'll be ok . It will go away in a minute. She wrapped her arms around her daughter talking inaudibly to everyone but her. When the girl stopped crying she smiled weakly at her mother.  
"I'm going to go see Daddy."  
"Ok, baby." she kissed the top of her head and sent her on her way.  
"RJ you know better than that. It's hard enough for your Dad and Alyssa when they're downstairs or outside. And Anna probably isn't to happy right this second either."  
"I know Mum, I'm really sorry." he said quietly.  
"Just try to be more careful. What are you and your brother fighting about anyway?"   
"He stole my letter from Cecily."  
"Alright, I'll get it back for you. Go finish packing."  
"Yes'm " he hung his head as he walked back into his room.  
"Jeremy" she knocked on the door.  
"What?" came a muffled voice.  
"Let me in"  
"I'm busy Mum"  
"Jeremy Alexand-- thought you'd see it my way." she said smiling at him as she entered his room.  
"Mu-um…" he whined.  
"Oh hush." she said ruffling his untidy hair. "Are you done packing?"  
"Mostly, I have a few more pra--projects" he corrected quickly.  
"Right, I don't want to know. You, Andrew, and David are going to cause some serious trouble this year I think."  
"That's right! Mischief Makers version 2.0" he laughed throwing a pack of Wet-start Fireworks in his trunk.  
"Don't get into to much trouble. Oh and Give me RJ's letter…now" she looked down at him.  
"Aww…Mum" he said handing her the letter.   
"Thank you….Dad's cooking breakfast when you're done packing she said ruffling his hair and kissing the top of his head.  
"Dad's cooking? Zeus…. the king of the Gods" he looked up hopefully.   
"Watch your language. And hurry up with the packing. Hey Jer."   
"Yeah Mum?"  
"I love you, Kiddo." She exited the bedroom and headed down the hall to RJ's room. She knocked softly before popping her head through the door. She saw her eldest child sitting at his desk writing hastily. She walked up behind him and dropped the letter in front of him.  
"Thanks, Mum, You're the greatest." he said looking up.  
"Why thank you, Good Sir." she grinned at him and sat on the edge of his bed. "So writing Cecily?"  
"Yup"  
"You're going to see her in less than" she glanced at her watch " three hours"  
"I know. I love her so much. Next year when we're apart. I don't know what I'll do"  
"I think you'll manage RJ" she smiled. "Your Dad is cooking when you're ready to eat."  
"Dad's cooking. That's so cool." he said happily.  
"Why is everyone in this house so amazed by that?" she asked incredulously.  
"Mum…Dad never cooks. That's why?"   
"Ok ok. I love you RJ. You're Dad and I are both so proud of you." she hugged her son, her baby, her little boy. "You've grown up to become a better person than we could have imagined."  
"I love you too, Mum"   
Jessi smiled at RJ as she made her way downstairs. Remus was standing at the stove cooking eggs and bacon, while reading the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. Remus smiled at her when he finally looked up.  
"I wondered how long it would take you to get down here" he grinned.  
"Oh hush, and pay attention or you'll burn the eggs." she stuck her tongue out at him.  
"Yes, Ma'am." he saluted. "The kids all ready?" he asked turning the heat off on the stove.  
"All save one" she said   
"Anna?"  
"Yes, She had to take all the green out of her wardrobe, because James, or Blockhead, as she put it. Likes green."   
"Those two….they're going to be the end of you and Hermione"   
"Yes well" she shrugged and sipped her coffee.  
RJ, Anna, Jeremy, and Alyssa all eventually made there way downstairs. After breakfast the car was quickly loaded and they set off for King's Cross Station. The four children, each bearing resemblance to one or both of their parents slipped unnoticed through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. The parent's followed slowly after. Once through they came face-to-face with a bright red train. After settling their youngest daughter in compartment with Liliana Potter, youngest child of Harry and Hermione Potter, Remus and Jessi stood back and watch the train pull out of the station. When the train was no more than a dot on the horizon Remus turned to Jessi.  
"I love you, you know." he said kissing her softly.  
"And I love you." she smiled at him taking his hand as they made their way back towards the muggle side of the platform. "I'm going to miss you more this year than ever I think."  
"I'll miss you too, but we'll make it through." he squeezed her hand slightly and looked down at her. "Jess…?" his voice held a nervousness that hadn't been there since Alyssa had been born.  
"Hmm…"   
"Are you happy?" he rushed the question out quickly.  
"Of course I'm happy" she stopped and turned to face him. "Why wouldn't I be?"  
"It's just…" he brushed a stray curl out of her face before continuing, "We had RJ when you were so young, and you never got…."   
"Hush now" she said softly. Cutting him off abruptly. "If we'd have waited to have RJ we wouldn't have Alyssa. I'm perfectly happy. I have four children who I simply adore, and love whole-heartedly and A husband who I've loved since I was 13" she smiled and kissed him, " Oh yeah and who I can't keep my hands off of" she stood on her tip-toes and whispered the last part against his ear.  
"I love you Jessi. I always have, always will."  
"I love you too." she said with a smile. They continued out of Kings Cross and headed back towards home. They both sat quietly on the way home. Each secure in their love for the other, knowing together they could face whatever was thrown their way. **  
**

Ending Notes:

Ok Time for Thank Yous. I want to thank all my reviewers.

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Rogue-soul- My very first review. 

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RaysOfHope- Who stayed through the whole story.

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Roxio- Who gave me one of the best reviews. EVER.

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mikomi-nad- Thanks for the review.

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IrishChick- My newest reviewer.

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RoRo, who read ever chapter (mostly cause I annoyed her until she did)

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Squishy, who basically wrote most of Remus, and helped me out of every jam. 

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B, who inspires me to be a better writer.

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Ty, umm…cause you're you. No really, cause even when I didn't want to finish you told me I should. 


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